RAIN WU - Architect and Artist, London
Alex Rückheim
Rain Wu is a London-based, Taiwanese architect working across various fields of art and design. With a specific interest in material development, speculative narratives and interactive spatial experiences, her work impressively ranges from drawings to set design, building design, art installations and curation.
We’ve had the chance to meet Rain at this year’s London Design Biennale where she walked us through her latest project – Eatopia – and talked to us about her future plans.
Rain Wu is the Designer in Residence 2016 at the Design Museum, London.
Rain Wu graduated from MA Architecture at Royal College of Art and has worked at a number of architectural practices including Carmody Groarke in London and Sou Fujimoto Architects. Her architectural background has informed her way of critically dissecting subjects and assembling them in a coherent and relevant manner. She has not only lectured and exhibited internationally, but has also collaborated with professionals from different disciplines to continuously explore architecture's versatility in art and design.
London’s first ever Design Biennale took place at Somerset House in September. In response to the Biennale’s inaugural theme – Utopia by Design – Rain Wu and designer Shikai Tseng teamed up with chef Chung-Ho Tsai to create a utopian dining experience for Taiwan’s offering – Eatopia. Surrounded by cast tree trunks and woodland sounds in a forest-like installation, we had the chance to immerse ourselves in this unique, culinary experience of Taiwan’s cultural collision. Rain and Shikai are currently planning a world tour for Eatopia.
Looking towards the near future, Rain will host a series of events and public programmes as the Designer in Residence 2016 at the Design Museum, London. For her residency, she wishes to explore new ways to engage audiences and find a way to reimagine the traditional exhibition format; possibly by imagining new approaches to experiential storytelling. The residency – which explores the theme of “Open” – coincides with the opening of the museum’s new John Pawson-designed building in Kensington in November.
The composition of images below is a personal selection of Rain Wu's Favourite Works of Art, Favourite Place, Products and the things that inspire her.
Anthony Gormley - Block (2016)
Carmody Groarke - The Filling Station
Anton Alvarez - Alphabet Aerobics
COS x Sou Fujimoto - Forest of Light
James Shaw and Marjan Van Aubel - Well Proven Chair
Eva Hesse - Right After
Junya Ishigami - Kanagawa Institute of Technology
Mona Hatoum - Grater Divide (2002)
Waterfall Petit
Untitled
Junya Ishigami - Table
Andrew Mowbray - Charcoal Dice
Odires Mlászho - Transformations
Egon Schiele - Torso (1913)
Cerith Wyn Evans - White Cube
Junya Ishigami - Cuboid
Isa Genzken - World Receiver
COS x Sou Fujimoto - Forest of Light
Olafur Eliasson - Riverbeds
Mona Hatoum - Untitled
Carmody Groarke - Studio East Dining