AN ICEBERG
IN THE DESERT

_{An Installation designed for the Good Plastic Company sponsored by Danube Group during the Dubai Design Week and powered by Isola Design.}

_{A conundrum, a reflection, an experience, an Iceberg in the desert.

A cool refuge emerges amid the desert. In a land where extreme heat reigns supreme icebergs will offer the public shelter and a commonplace.

In the last two decades, our planet lost about 267 gigatonnes (Gt) of glacial mass each year resulting in an overall 21% rise in sea level. This affects the balance of our planet as we know it and it can be seen in the increase in storms, disrupted weather patterns, loss of natural habitats in certain animal groups, and much more. The increase in pollution due to human activities is the main cause of this and Tellurico Design Studio wanted to bring this to people’s attention through the iceberg in the desert. Inviting people to think about how their decisions and lifestyles affec our planet, and to consider alternative solutions like the different ways in which plastic can be repurposed.

As can be noted, there is an oxymoron in the presence of icebergs in the desert, no less in the city. This oxymoron was the common thread used by Tellurico in the conceptualization of not only the title but also the selection of the materials. Because common knowledge holds that Ice needs temperatures below 0°C to remain intact, the possibility of having real icebergs in cities like Dubai is never feasible, but it is exactly this cognitive dissonance that Tellurico is using to attract people and spark curiosity.

Tellurico takes recycled plastic material and transforms it into iceberg sculptures that stand as oxymorons invoking reflection and fascination. These sculptures are just the ‘’tip of the iceberg’’, for together they tell a story of awareness, sustainability, and sculptural design.

The Icebergs are works of sculptural design. With the chosen materials, Tellurico has interpreted sculptures that boast a similar colour, shape, and texture to that of real icebergs. Besides simply being sculptures, the icebergs are also functional design as they have a hollow inside with seating available for those passing by to take a refreshing break. Filling the city with forms that are unique and foreign to the landscapes of the region.

On a more social note, the iceberg sculptures are meant to sensitize and bring awareness to what is happening in our planet’s environment, especially the effects of our plastic use and consumption. The icebergs speak of the rising temperatures that are causing a rapid depletion of glacial ice which in turn increases the sea level.

Thanks to the Icebergs Tellurico is recycling more than 500 kg of plastic produced by The Good Plastic Company and showing a framework on one of the many ways in which humans can reduce the impact we have on our environment.}

^{Concept and Creative Direction: Francesco Pace}
^{Design Development: Tellurico Design Studio}
^{Typology: Installation Design}
^{Commissioned: The Good Plastic Company}
^{Production: The Good Plastic Company}
^{Main Sponsor: Danube Group}
^{Support: Isola Design}
^{Hosted: Dubai Design Week}
^{Years: 2023}
^{Photo Courtesy:

Ivan Erofeev}