FLORESTA STAGE

The Floresta Stage for Waking Life 2024 is a truly magical project, designed and built by Arqeas with sustainability at its core. The stage was born from the need to provide shade and ambiance in a forested area, and bamboo is chosen as the main material to seamlessly integrate with the natural landscape. Bamboo offered organic flexibility, allowing the design to harmonize with the forest. 

Barbara Al-Farkh, an architect specializing in sustainable building and natural materials, led the project. As a certified builder skilled in traditional construction techniques, she is involved in every aspect of her projects, from design to execution. The bamboo used for this stage was harvested by her in northern Portugal. Once harvested, the bamboo was treated through drying, submersion in borax, and oiling, making it both durable and environmentally friendly. 

The construction of the stage’s towers is based on the hyperboloid concept. Each bamboo tower had its own unique design and was crafted using a knot system, making each structure distinct and personal. These towers helped elevate the shade structures in harmony with the surrounding trees, allowing the stage to blend naturally into its environment. 

One of the main objectives with the shading was to play with light reflections on the ground, especially considering the windy conditions of the area. The objective was to create a dynamic, living stage that would interact with the wind, making the reflections move with the rhythm of the dancing. The chosen fabric reflected light, offered transparency and had an interesting texture while being light enough not to add excessive weight. Sewing the fabric on-site added a handcrafted, personal touch, allowing to tailor each piece perfectly to its surroundings. 

Barbara Al-Farkh, working alongside Eveline De Winter and Bram Lamaz, ensured that all elements of the stage were in alignment. This included integrating the bars, light tower, and DJ booth needs into the overall structure, combining practicality with artistic expression. The careful collaboration and attention to detail contributed to a unified and uplifting experience for everyone involved. 

The lighting scenography, designed and executed by Studio Raito, further enhanced the magic of the stage, adding vibrancy and energy that brought the space to life, especially at night. It primarily focussed on creating a balance between technology and the natural environment. This was achieved by using the right mix between conventional and modern effect lighting and a natural approach to the programming and live controls.  

About Waking Life 

Waking Life is a midsummer festival and a year-round playground for creation and experimentation. It sprouted from a common dream of a group of friends to build a community, in a sunny spot on the globe, to plant ideas and harvest tangible, alternative ways of living, learning, loving. It is slowly blooming into a space for artistic experimentation, spirited self-expression and collective imagineering of the type of society we could cultivate if there was freedom to diverge from default reality.