Amos' World

Artist Cécile B. Evans approached Weber Industries to fabricate a series of installation works designed in collaboration with Dominik Arni, for her ambitious new video series, Amos' World. Taking aesthetic cues from brutalist architecture, the site-specific structures are formed of viewing rooms and staircases, with a hand-finished bespoke concrete surface that was developed to match the artist's specifications.  The work premiered in the Statements section of Art Basel 2017 with Galerie Emanuel Layr, and subsequent iterations have been produced for Castello di Rivoli, Italy, and mumok, Vienna. 

Working closely with the artist, architect and the project’s structural engineer, our team re-modelled the original sketches for the structure in CAD and developed the design and methodology for a modular system in steel and plywood. This fabrication design facilitated efficient assembly, and ensured archival stability for the museum collections they have entered. 

Each structure is broken down into sections, and welded to form modular units. Laser cut tabs and machined threads allow the parts to be simply assembled with bolts on site. 

A series of precisely mitred and notched plywood panels and boxes form the substrate for the cladding. CAD modelling ensured a seamless integration between the cladding and the steel framework, which expedited the production of this complex structure. The panels were attached with the use of threaded inserts, allowing for the repeated removal of bolts, where screws would eventually fail. 

Through extensive sample-making, a bespoke concrete render was developed to the artist’s specifications. This authentic surface treatment – which is applied to the cladding by hand – replicating the concrete finish that is characteristic of brutalist architecture. 

Having been completed in our studio, the structure was disassembled and shipped to Basel. The on-site install and subsequent de-installation was led by our team.