Sabine Marcelis’ Jelly Floats Installation Docks at Lake Como Edition
Art Afloat: An Overview of the Project
For the Lake Como Design Festival in Italy, renowned Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis presents her latest installation, a stunning interactive artwork titled “Jelly Floats.” Crafted from bold pink translucent rubber, these pieces float elegantly on the floating pool of The Lake Como Edition hotel, creating a captivating visual scene that merges aesthetic pleasure with practical use.
A Temporary Artistic Intervention: Key Dates
The installation will be on display during the festival from September 14th to 21st, 2025, and is scheduled to remain in place for hotel guests until the end of the summer season, adding a unique artistic dimension to their experience.
Deconstructing the Artwork: Design & Engineering
The work consists of a series of large, donut-shaped inflatable sculptures. These floats range in size from approximately 1000mm to 3000mm in diameter, each featuring a characteristic circular opening at its center. All pieces are made from durable, translucent PVC material, uniformly tinted with a vibrant pink hue throughout the material itself. This ensures the color remains consistent even if the surface is scratched.
From Studio to Water: The Manufacturing Journey
This artistic feat came to life in the designer’s Rotterdam studio. The production process employs thermal welding along the circular edges to hermetically seal the air chamber. The distinctive circular form is created by fusing two flat rings of material together, leaving the center open. The inherent transparency of the material allows light to pass through the floats, creating a enchanting visual effect that changes with the sun’s movement throughout the day.
An Interactive Experience: Where Art Meets Leisure
The brilliance of the design lies in its fusion of aesthetics and function. Beyond being an art piece, guests can interact with these floats: sitting, lying, or paddling on them. The various configurations allow for individual or shared use, fostering a unique social experience by the pool’s edge with breathtaking views of the lake. This integration of form and function makes the work a pioneering example of interactive design.
Broader Cultural Context: The Lake Como Design Festival
This project is the result of a collaboration between the designer and the luxury hotel, part of a preview program ahead of the hotel’s official launch in March 2026. The hotel is housed in a 19th-century palace in Cadenabbia, featuring 148 rooms and luxury dining spaces overseen by renowned chef Mauro Colagreco.
Through this installation, the Lake Como Design Festival bridges the worlds of contemporary design and luxury hospitality, creating a cultural dialogue between the artwork and its natural surroundings. The festival gathers works from international designers, artists, and architects, positioning itself as a leading platform for innovation and creativity in the region.
Future Vision: The Installation’s Legacy and Impact
While the pink floats are scheduled to remain in place until the end of summer 2025, their artistic legacy will endure much longer. This project represents a growing trend in design towards transient creations that enrich public and private spaces, encourage human interaction, and challenge static artistic traditions. It points to a future where art becomes an integral part of our daily lives, not just objects isolated in galleries.
✦ Archup editorial insight
This article provides a comprehensive look at designer Sabine Marcelis’ “Jelly Floats” project, an interactive art installation that merges aesthetics with function within a luxury hospitality setting. The positive critique lies in its in-depth coverage of the technical and design aspects, while also providing rich cultural context for the project. However, it could have been further enriched by including a brief interview with the designer or festival organizers to capture their direct creative vision. Nonetheless, the article serves as an excellent example of how to document transient art projects that enrich the cultural landscape and inspire designers and contemporary art lovers alike, while also serving as a case study on the power of design to transform spaces and experiences.
Brought to you by the ArchUp Editorial Team
Inspiration starts here. Dive deeper into Architecture, Interior Design, Research, Cities, Design, and cutting-edge Projectson ArchUp.
