Tearing the Ground is a contemporary interpretation of a flying carpet, constructed with reused plastic units made of marine litter. People tend to ignore things they don’t want to see, but the Marmara Sea is getting more polluted every day. We don’t usually realize the gravity of the problem but still it remains, like it’s been swept under the carpet. We believe we can only change this situation by keeping people aware of the problem by constantly reminding them what’s going on under their feet.

The project team tears the ground, lifting this carpet into the air with everything it conceals. Thus, the plastic waste produced by the city becomes the main material for the installation. What is rubbish becomes value. In a way, the project is a reflection of what is discarded into the sea, what the city produces as waste, and how much of that waste is beyond the recycling system.

The project, therefore, is in constant interaction with nature, and it exposes the people of the city to what they consume. The strength of the project comes from this exchange between the installation, nature, and urban life.

Text submitted by ONZ Architects