As soon as one Burning Man event finishes, it’s already time to start planning for the next one. Every year we head to the dust, we return inspired, intrigued and ready for more. The thrill of being on playa never fails us. This year, the Arts arm of the Burning Man organization has announced the temple design for the 2019 event. Meet The Temple of Direction.
The Temple of Direction is a piece designed by Geordie Van Der Bosch, chosen by the org “for its elegant simplicity.” As Burning Man explained in a blog post shared with the community yesterday, they were excited that Bosch’s structure will only require minimal on-playa construction.
The design of the Temple of Direction is a beautiful, linear space modeled after the torii gates at Japan’s Fushimi Inari Shine. According to the Burning Man organization:
The linear lines form a passage that expands into a large hall, eliciting both a physical experience and a metaphorical journey. It’s a space that responds to the openness of the playa by creating a framework that encourages you to travel from end to end.
This linear form reflects the passage of life with its beginning, middle, and end. Throughout the structure there are areas that reflect this journey: narrow & wide spaces, bright & dark spaces, and tunnels that create intimate physical settings. Meanwhile, a large central hall, an altar, and many shelves for offerings create the setting for our collective experience.
This choice doesn’t come as a surprise, after last year’s temple did not finish before its burn date of the event’s final Sunday. The Temple of Direction allows for what will likely be a shorter and less stressful build that will be complete in time for the event. The temple team only gets 15 days to build on playa, so it’s quite a tight timeline to meet.
You can read more about the temple at the Burning Man Journal.