Drift om te Dansen
Elektra ✺ Transforming a festival stage into a kinetic landmark
Elektra turns the Drift festival mainstage into a living breathing sculpture, blending motion and light into an iconic festival landmark
— CHALLENGE
Elevating the
Festival Landscape
Drift Om Te Dansen, Nijmegen's premier electronic music festival, challenged us to create a sculptural centerpiece for their Elektra Stage. The installation needed to serve as a recognisable landmark, elevating the festival experience while harmonizing with the industrial backdrop of De Vasim venue. Our task was to design an iconic structure that would captivate 30,000 attendees and embody the festival's industrial surroundings.
— SOLUTION
Motion. Light. Perspective.
Elektra is a massive kinetic sculpture that transforms based on the viewer's perspective. Built with lightweight channel plates, the centre of the installation refracts light in unique ways, creating depth and dynamism. The true magic of Elektra lies in its kinetic nature. As the sculpture spins, it creates a mesmerizing optical illusion, continuously changing shapes. From certain angles, the structure appears solid and imposing, while from others, it becomes nearly invisible, allowing viewers to see through it. This dynamic transformation encourages festival-goers to move around the Elektra Stage, constantly discovering new perspectives and fostering a deeper engagement with both the art and music.
Project: Elektra
Client: Drift Om Te Dansen Festival
Creative Direction: Sebastiaan Smink
Build: HandMates
Photography: Elske Nissen, Sander van de Ven