mirage wraps google headquarters in an array of overlapping 0s
Emmanuelle Moureaux enlivens Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, with a sculptural series of vibrant entrance points. Titled MIRAGE, the large-scale installation transforms the Googleplex with a mesmerizing spectrum of overlapping zeros in 100 different colors that seemingly float in a three-dimensional grid. 60 meters long, the three sculptural entrances manifest a universe of boundless possibilities, inspired by the concept of Googolplex — the nearly incomprehensible mathematical number that inspired the tech giant’s name.
The calculated orientations of the rings, alluding to zeros, also generate various layers of depth, giving the impression of floating numerals that appear and disappear depending on the vantage point. The void within each zero serves as a conceptual canvas, signifying the birth of new ideas from emptiness.
all images by Daisuke Shima
Emmanuelle Moureaux continues her 100 colors series
The Tokyo-based architect, artist, and designer known for her vibrant use of color, continues her ongoing ‘100 colors’ installation series. With MIRAGE, Emmanuelle Moureaux conceives a composition that creates an ever-shifting interplay of form and perspective as visitors approach and move around the site. Each entrance was consciously designed to respond to its immediate environment, ensuring a unique experience from every angle.
During the day, the installation bathes the campus in a vibrant cascade of color, enhancing the architectural landscape with its rhythmic patterns. At night, the work takes on a new character, illuminated in a way that makes the colors appear to float independently in the darkness, creating a surreal mirage-like effect. Beyond its aesthetic intervention, Emmanuelle Moureaux integrates an interactive and immersive experience, encouraging passersby to move around and engage with the site through a different layer.
Emmanuelle Moureaux enlivens Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California
The sculptural entrances, in this way, act as thresholds that bridge the physical and digital realms, mirroring Google’s role as a gateway to discovery. Moureaux emphasizes the universal, borderless nature of color, positioning it as a symbol of diversity, equality, and unity. ‘Color is universal, borderless, and infinite,’ Emmanuelle Moureaux states. ‘The title, MIRAGE, expresses the hope that a colorful mirage will rise in the hearts of those who see this work, sublimate into a dream emitting a magnificent light, and eventually be realized in the real world.’
a sculptural series of vibrant entrance points
a mesmerizing spectrum of hues and geometries across an array of overlapping zeros