Noguchi said, each stone in a Japanese garden is placed as a “perturbance from the primordial mass”—a reminder of the rocky planet beneath us that unites everything. He also observed that in America it makes sense to try to make a stone float because Western culture is about overcoming the limitations of nature. And while Europe has a long tradition of stone being reshaped by human hands for the expression of ideas, in Aotearoa, New Zealand, stones are considered ancestors of the tangata whenua (people of the land).

In our time of global connectedness and overlapping cultural influences, how do we define our personal philosophy regarding our relationship with the earth? Design is about intervening in nature, reshaping our surroundings to suit human needs. But how much intervention is too much? And at what point does too little cease to be Design at all? Should stones be made to float, or should they be left to anchor us?

Join us for a few days of hunting, gathering, and creating contemporary, site-specific objects in the natural surroundings of the Domaine. Drawing inspiration from the landscape—including its forests, open fields, and the river—we will work with found materials such as stones and follow our ideas while respecting the found forms and textures. By combining natural elements and metal extrusions, we will explore concepts of symbiosis, harmony, discord, and precariousness through experimental compositions. We will use simple tools and our hands to assemble these elements into functional or sculptural objects.

Alongside the making process, we’ll encourage participants to immerse themselves in the landscape—swimming, walking, and engaging with the site’s natural elements. At the end of the week, these creations will form installations as material dialogue that invite reflection on our connection to the land. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of material behaviors, spatial relationships, and the ways in which design can respond to and integrate with a specific context.