OVO lights up downtown Istanbul

Sensory art installation in Turkey uses Accoya® wood.

A sensational new art installation is lighting up downtown Istanbul, Turkey. OVO (Latin for egg) is an interactive artwork, which offers visitors a multi-sensory experience with lighting animations, visuals and acoustic accompaniment. The egg shaped concept was unveiled earlier this year at Marmara Forum, a shopping centre and garden office. The egg is made from Accoya® wood manufactured by Accsys Technologies and was supplied by Van Steenberge in Belgium. Accoya was used for the complete structure of the egg due to its superior sustainability and performance credentials.

A unique shape

Created by artist and sculpture team Odeaubois and ACT Lighting Design for the lighting concept and set design, OVO is a standout attraction. Its unusual shape is achieved with a combination of 24 crossed spiral pairs, which is based on the double helix model - something present everywhere in our universe, from DNA to the solar system! Visitors can make up their own interpretation of the creation, be it an egg, pineapple, or pine cone.

OVO's structure is made of Accoya wood that has been cut into 356 different pieces bolted together to make an eye- catching structure with almost invisible seams. Accoya's exceptional properties of durability, stability, strength and beauty made it ideal for use as the main construction material for this highly original design. Guaranteed against rot and decay for 50 years in exterior use and 25 years when used in the ground, Accoya is perfect for outdoor use and has an extended coatings maintenance cycle due to its dimensional stability and UV resistance. Prevention of possible distortion due to dimensional stability and retained strength, despite going through the transformative wood modification process, were also important selection criteria.

"Accoya shows outstanding performance and sustainability benefits, it perfectly fits this new creation," said Jean Pierre Noel, Commercial Director at Van Steenberge. "OVO is a fantastic concept and we are proud to be part of it. It is also our first project in Turkey and hopefully this showcases how Accoya can create outstanding and inspirational projects."

Captivating Sensors

The choice of the shape of OVO is symbolic. The egg evokes birth, unity, perfection, cocoon and transformation. Inside the structure, the visitor is offered a complete experience for the senses, bringing them in contact with the four elements: air, via the two gateways; fire, with the changing colors of the LED lighting system; water in the basin of the structure; and finally earth, with Accoya wood.

Experience Sustainability

The project was built with strict sustainability criteria. Everything in the creation has been thought through to answer environmental needs. Accoya is created using a proprietary patented non-toxic modification process on sustainably sourced woods and exceeds or matches the durability, stability and beauty of the very best tropical hardwoods without their endangerment. As such, it has received many prestigious environmental awards and certifications.

The LED lighting system uses only about 700W of continuous power. The system is IP67 rated and no replacement of bulbs is necessary. The water system is also very economical. Finally, minimal waste was produced in the construction and installation, using only natural materials such as wood, rubber and metal that were all reusable and recyclable.

"With a passion for ecology and a real love for wood, Accoya ticked all the boxes for OVO. We needed a simple, natural and durable material for our creation and it suited our design well," said Mostafa Hadi and Pol Marchandise, both Sculptors and Artists at Odeaubois.

Project Credits

Odeaubois: Pol Marchandise and Mostafa Hadi for the wooden sculpture

ACT lighting design: Koert Vermeulen for the lighting concept and Marcos Viñals Bassols for the scenography