Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani has won the Shaping Water Competition with Harmonic Tides, an installation informed by the movement of water, which will be built at Clerkenwell Design Week later this month.
Mamou-Mani‘s installation comprises two undulating 3D-printed walls reminiscent of waves. Each structure features a ripple-like geometry, informed by the hydrodynamic forms found in nature, such as river eddies and spiral ocean currents.
The modules were made using sugar-based polylactic acid (PLA) – an industrially compostable bioplastic derived from renewable resources – fabricated locally in Mamou-Mani’s London studio.
The modules have been reused from previous installations, which the designer reconfigured especially for the site in line with circular design principles to drastically reduce the energy and material used.
Described as a “water corridor” by Mamou-Mani, the installation comes to life with LED lighting that responds to the rhythmic pulse of waves, evoking the serenity of underwater landscapes.
Gentle music will enhance the sense of an underwater world to create a relaxing space for visitors to spend time in, pause and reflect.
The Shaping Water Competition, which was organised by Dezeen in collaboration with bathroom brands Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard, invited architects and designers to create a large-scale public installation celebrating the essence of water.
Designers were invited to propose bold and imaginative ideas for St John’s Gate, a historic landmark in the heart of Clerkenwell, London. The aim was to create a striking installation that would respond to the site’s context while offering an engaging experience for Clerkenwell Design Week visitors and passersby alike.
Proposals needed to explore both the functional and aesthetic qualities of water, highlighting its dynamic nature and its transformative impact on wellbeing.
The proposal was selected by a panel of judges comprising representatives and journalists from Villeroy & Boch, Ideal Standard and Dezeen.
“The fluidity of water is no easy thing to capture in a solid physical form. This proposal appealed because of its ability to somewhat freeze the wave-like rhythms of water movement through its structure,” said Dezeen’s editorial director Max Fraser, who was one of the judges.
“The 3D-printed sugar-based PLA has been cleverly engineered into these self-supporting undulating forms that will cocoon visitors. With the addition of light and sound, this striking installation will drastically contrast with the otherwise traditional environment of St John’s Gate,” he continued.
The completed installation will be unveiled at this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week and featured on Dezeen in the coming weeks.
Read more about the proposal below:
Harmonic Tides by Arthur Mamou-Mani
London, UK
First place
“Beneath the historic archway, a glowing passage emerges: an ethereal corridor where 3D-printed waves flow like sacred water.
“Harmonic Tides explores the structuring principles of water and the universality of flows, celebrating the constant transformation and interconnectedness of natural systems.
“Each arch, formed from a ripple-like geometry, is 3D-printed in our east London factory using sugar-based PLA.
“These structures channel the hydrodynamic forms found in nature – from eddies in rivers to the spiral currents of ocean flows.
“In a poetic gesture toward renewal, the modular structures are designed to be re-used and recycled after the event in our in-house facility. This cradle-to-cradle strategy, aligned with our studies with ARUP on PLA’s environmental impact, reinforces our belief in architecture that gives back to the Earth.
“We will enhance the installation with animated blue LED lighting to create a luminous underwater experience, bringing the narrative of flowing water fully to life. The lights will accentuate the curves of the structure, simulating movement and enhancing the immersive quality of the journey.
“A gentle music composition will be linked to the light animations, creating a fully immersive experience that unites visual waves with sound waves.
“The structure draws on the legacy of our Altostrata Pavilion – a curved, resilient shell unveiled at Dubai Design Week and designed to demonstrate the power of circular fabrication. Like Altostrata, Harmonic Tides stands as both an artwork and a strategy: for building sustainably, printing locally, and designing with modularity and purpose.
“Our practice, Mamou-Mani Architects, derives its name from the Amazigh words meaning ‘sacred water’ – a fitting metaphor for a project born from flow, resonance and renewal.
“Through our platform Fab.Pub, we continue to explore the fusion of digital craft, biomaterials and regenerative design. Harmonic Tides is an invitation to walk through the waves of innovation.”
The Shaping Water Competition was a global contest that called for pioneering proposals that could have a powerful impact on how people live over the next 100 years.
The competition attracted over 200 entries from more than 40 countries around the world.
A selection of fifteen innovative proposals were shortlisted by the judges, with the shortlist published on Dezeen earlier this month.
The judges ultimately selected Harmonic Tides by Mamou-Mani as the overall winner of the competition.
Mamou-Mani has received the top prize of £5,000 for his winning proposal, which will be revealed at Clerkenwell Design Week and featured on Dezeen later this month.
Find out more about the Shaping Water Competition ›
Clerkenwell Design Week will take place from May 20 to 22. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Partnership content
The Shaping Water Competition is organised by Dezeen in partnership with Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.
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