The House of Peace is an unrealized proposal for a mobile monument by Studio Other Spaces of Olafur Eliasson that was developed by invitation for the House of Peace (HOPE) competition.
An emblematic monument to world peace moored in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn harbor, the House of Peace is mobile – as a floating structure, the pavilion may travel the world, creating international awareness of our shared need for world peace.
Six glass shells of three subtractive colors – cyan, magenta, and yellow – overlap as a spherical dome and combine to produce this variegated House of Peace. Through the combination of only three colors, countless hues and light intensities are created, shaping an open, color-saturated interior. As the visitors move about, their eyes adjust to the color surrounding them, so that when they move to another position and its corresponding color, they perceive it in relation to the previous color. Every color perception is dependent on the experience that precedes it. The hues of the glass shells interact with the shades of the sky, the color of the water, and the environments visible beyond the dome. Rather than supporting a single, focused, static viewpoint, the House of Peace encourages shifting, panoramic perspectives.
Water covers seventy-one percent of our planet; wherever the surface of the water extends, the House of Peace can reach. As an enduring symbol of peace, it is recognizable wherever it is, standing out against the topography of the location. Through its global appeal, it creates international awareness of our shared need for world peace.
