
Geopark, Down to Earth at MoMA
The plan sketch and scale model from our project Geopark are now on view at MoMA in New York.
Geopark is a playground of transformed technology, formed by the recycled remnants of the oil industry in Stavanger, Norway’s oil capital. Elements waiting on the landbases outside the city and that are no longer needed, such as bright orange buoys, salvaged pipelines, and recycled drilling platforms, are moulded into a miniature recreation of the vast natural gas and oil field reservoir known as Troll. The geological layers hidden under the seabed are revealed through the playful topography of the park.
The transformation project was initiated by Helen & Hard and completed back in 2008. It was intended as a one year installation only. Yet today, 17 years later, this playground of oil industry artefacts still stands strong. It is a groundbreaking exploration of how Stavanger could transition from an oil-fuelled past into something more sustainable. A tangible and interactive example, Geopark sets a precedent in showing how all the technological innovation and expertise that the oil industry has provided can be reused to create a greener and more meaningful future. The design process involved workshops with the community and brought children on board. The aim was to invite a sense of curiosity and wonder, and to encourage involvement in shaping one’s own environment.
The works can be viewed as part of the Down to Earth exhibition, on Floor 2, Room 216, MoMA.