Nadir// Engraving at the Oculus in darkness, date: 2151 _ discs: 3,512,498
The Cup of Life: A Utopian Vision Suspended Between Art, Architecture, and the Stars
At the intersection of visionary art, experimental architecture, and sensory technology stands a project unlike any other: The Cup of Life. More than a structure, it is a living entity — a constantly evolving receptacle shaped by the traces left behind by its visitors. At once sculpture, cosmic antenna, and emotional archive, it reimagines our relationship with space, memory, and materiality.
A Living Parabola, Floating Just Above the Ground
The Cup of Life takes the form of a vast parabolic structure suspended just 30 centimeters above the ground. This minimal elevation gives it an almost mystical aura: it appears to float, hovering at the boundary between the physical and the imaginary. Neither towering to dominate nor grounded to belong, it seems to levitate — accessible, yet elusive.
This delicate balance is made possible by a network of recycled space stations, anchored far above in orbit, which keep the structure in a state of tension from the sky. The result is a paradoxical object, both earthly and celestial, within arm’s reach yet oriented toward infinity.
The Taxi: A Vehicle of Access and Energy
Visitors reach The Cup of Life via the Taxi — an autonomous, silent vehicle with a fluid, minimalist design. More than just a means of transport, the Taxi plays a crucial role in the ecosystem of the project: it collects solar and kinetic energy during its journey and transfers it to the structure upon arrival. This energy powers the engraving process, creating a closed-loop system where human movement itself becomes a source of creation.
Imprinting the Human Trace in Material
At the heart of the experience is the Oculus — a sensory interface capable of capturing each visitor’s unique electromagnetic signature. This invisible, biological imprint is then transformed into a graphic pattern, which is engraved into a small disk.
Each disk is made from a resin blend with a waxy, metallic appearance — a tactile, organic-feeling material that evokes both technological artifact and intimate relic. Once engraved, the disk is collected by a drone and added to the structure of the parabola. Over time, the sculpture grows denser and more intricate, a poetic accumulation of thousands of human presences materialized in shimmering layers.
A Signal to the Stars
But The Cup of Life is not merely a vessel of memory — it is also a transmitter. At the precise moment a disk is engraved, its graphic imprint is converted into a radio signal. This signal is emitted into space via an antenna located at the top of the structure — itself suspended by the orbital stations tethered far above Earth.
In this way, each visit, each trace, becomes a wave launched into the cosmos. A silent message filled with human resonance. A whisper to the unknown.
An Architecture of Tomorrow
The Cup of Life is far more than an artistic installation — it is a tangible utopia, a manifesto for a living, participatory, evolving architecture. Suspended just above the earth and anchored in the stars, it embodies a new kind of connection between the intimate and the universal. An artwork that grows with us, speaks for us, and travels beyond us.
