Over 1,500 terracotta blocks were intricately carved and stacked to create this installation in Milan, which SHoP architects hoped would provide visitors with a moment of solace.
The Wave/Cave installation was designed by the New York-based firm for Interni Magazine's Material Immaterial exhibition, which took place as part of this year's Milan design week.
Made up of an assemblage of 1,670 terracotta blocks, the installation stands at 10 metres high at its tallest point. Each block has been individually carved, and while they appear plain on the outside ? the inside of the installation reveals an intricate pattern.

At night, the installation softly glows from its centre, with light illuminating the gaps in the blocks.
SHoP principle William Sharples said the installation was a reaction to current architectural industry practices, and he hopes that it will bring visitors a moment of peace and calmness. "Focusing on this idea of solidity and slow time is a reaction to what has happened to a lot of architecture over the past few years," said Sharples. "Wave/Cave asks us to slow down and get back in touch with the weight and pace of architecture from other eras."

"The experience of Wave/Cave is conceived as a deliberate counterpoint to the internal agitation and disrupted attention spans encouraged by contemporary media and technology."
The installation was conceived in collaboration with German firm NBK Keramik, and each block was finished usi...