DREAMLAND

The Spinning Top

Dreamland, Margate asked Neverland to commission a art installation centrepiece as part of its 2017 re-developments. Neverland approached us and asked us to design a piece which would state, as you traverse from the car park into the park; 'You are not in Kansas anymore' 

We wanted the piece to be interactive, simple and playful. We researched what the most universal and oldest 'play object' was: A spinning top. across cultures and ages its naive simplicity makes it wholly pleasing and we discovered, in Medieval times, it was common to have a large spinning top in the town square which villagers could spin for exercise and to keep warm!

The simplest of games in so many ways, studioBEAM revive the simplicity of play through movement as one of the first things you see in the park. The mirrored surface reflects not only your new surroundings, but your own image, spinning round you as you participate... and you begin to realise you’re not in Kansas anymore.

We took this as an initial concept and designed something robust, long lasting and permanent. We rooted the piece in the environment with the matching ranbow floor and painted surrounding pillars. The spinning top is a complete crowd pleaser - endless instagram videos have been taken and this is one we are particularly proud of.