Architectural Cases

Embark on an interactive journey to a climate-altered future.

Alice Bucknell's 'The Alluvials': A Vision of Tomorrow's Los Angeles in Art and Gaming

In 2023, artist Alice Bucknell unveiled 'The Alluvials,' a striking video creation populated by various creatures and sediment, painting a picture of Los Angeles in the not-so-distant future. This Californian metropolis, once famed for its sandy shores, finds its urban core overtaken by sand, reshaping its vast network of roads and towering structures into a landscape of dunes and dust. Through this imaginative portrayal of an alternative reality, Bucknell delves into both the origins and repercussions of this desiccated environment. The piece reflects on the historical presence of the Tongva people in the greater Los Angeles area, while also conceptualizing entities like the water purification enterprise Qwench, a landscape in perpetual combustion, and an endless twilight where the sky forever basks in a golden glow. A year later, this concept evolved into 'The Alluvials' video game (2024), a multi-stage interactive experience that plunges players deeper into the world first seen in the film. With each immersive journey through its digital expanse, the project vividly illustrates the unsettling and almost inconceivable consequences of climate disruption. As players navigate a not-so-far-off Los Angeles, Bucknell prompts critical questions: Is this the future we desire? And if not, what measures can we undertake to alter our trajectory in the face of ongoing climate change?

Stepping into the Shoes of the Unseen: Embodied Perspectives of Non-Playable Characters

The term 'alluvial' refers to materials deposited by flowing water, such as clay, silt, sand, or gravel, as defined by Merriam-Webster. In her game, Bucknell immerses players in an environment that is distinctly alluvial, characterized by the accumulation of sand and silt in areas where water once flowed. This experience unfolds across four distinct levels, where players adopt the viewpoints of what are typically considered non-playable characters (NPCs). By doing so, Bucknell redefines traditional gaming mechanics, introducing what she describes as 'queer and ecological game mechanics,' thereby challenging the established norms of player interaction and narrative.

Unveiling the Layers: A Deep Dive into Each Level of 'The Alluvials'

In one particularly striking segment, known as 'Extinction Burst,' the game commences within a vividly red forest, where a mountain lion glides along a fuchsia-colored path. This scene gradually transitions into a parched basin, covered in a myriad of white particles. Upon closer inspection, these ethereal flakes are revealed to be a species of moth. As players draw near a desert tree positioned centrally in the basin, a question materializes in the sky, rendered in hazy blue script: 'ARE YOU MOTH OR ARE YOU TREE?' The subsequent journey through the desert landscape varies depending on whether the player aligns with the moth or the tree. Other levels include navigating through a raging forest fire, transforming into a wolf in a desolate, sand-choked Los Angeles, or piloting an airboat along the Los Angeles River as dusk settles. By offering these diverse viewpoints, the game not only challenges the player's control but also cultivates an experiential understanding of elements often overlooked by humans: the insights of a moth, a yucca plant, or a body of water.

The Journey of 'The Alluvials': A Chronology of Exhibitions and Installations

'The Alluvials' has graced exhibition spaces across the United States, Europe, and Asia, presented in both its film and video game iterations. In each venue, Bucknell's work has manifested in unique ways. For instance, when the film was showcased at LUMINEX in downtown Los Angeles as a four-channel installation, scenes of a forest inferno illuminated the building, creating a surreal interplay between the real and imagined cityscapes. At HEK Other Intelligences 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, attendees were invited to recline on pink camouflage beanbags while experiencing the game as a two-channel video installation, immersing themselves in a fuchsia-bathed environment.

Navigating the Future: A Guide to Existence within the World of 'The Alluvials'

Within her artistic creation, Bucknell weaves a tapestry of speculative fiction, narrating from an unknown future yet imbued with the ominous resonance of a timeless cautionary tale. True to the intricate worlds she crafts within game engines, Bucknell vividly materializes the promises, perils, and prophecies that modern-day executives and climate scientists frequently disseminate through news channels. However, here, an unparalleled opportunity arises: to advance, level by level, through the highly probable repercussions of our current actions if left unchecked. In this envisioned posthuman utopia, humanity recedes, shedding the anthropocentric ideologies that lead to artificial waters. Instead, it advances toward a future shaped by the inherent wisdom and mechanisms of the natural world, before the point of no return.

Volvo's cutting-edge all-electric EX60 SUV stands as a testament to automotive innovation, merging advanced electric propulsion with a design ethos deeply rooted in the natural world. A recent excursion, spanning from the bustling streets of Manhattan to the serene Hudson Highlands, offered a unique opportunity to experience this vehicle firsthand. The journey concluded at Manitoga, the esteemed residence of American industrial designer Russel Wright, a location that perfectly encapsulates the harmony between human-made structures and the surrounding environment. This trip highlighted Volvo's commitment to creating a driving experience that is not only efficient and high-performing but also deeply connected to nature's aesthetic and functional principles.

The EX60's design journey began with an exploration of natural materials and the subtle shifts in landscape colors, drawing parallels with Wright's lifelong dedication to integrating his modernist home with its 75-acre woodland estate. Wright's vision transformed a former quarry into an architectural marvel where the forest seamlessly intertwines with living spaces, a concept Volvo's designers embraced for the EX60's interior and exterior. This philosophy is evident in the vehicle's material selections and color palette, which are meticulously crafted to evoke the tranquility and dynamism of nature.

Under the hood, the EX60, an evolution of Volvo's popular XC60, is engineered for superior performance and efficiency. Its sleek, aerodynamic profile, characterized by a low front and a gracefully sloping roofline, achieves an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.26. This design not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also contributes to its overall energy efficiency. The vehicle is built on Volvo's innovative SPA3 electric platform, featuring megacasting and cell-to-body battery integration, which significantly reduces weight and boosts operational effectiveness. For the U.S. market, the P10 AWD variant delivers a robust 503 horsepower and an EPA-estimated range of up to 330 miles, with an exceptionally fast charging capability from 10% to 80% in merely 16 minutes under ideal conditions.

The interior of the EX60 continues this theme of sophisticated integration, featuring a 15-inch curved OLED center display powered by Google Gemini. The cabin's minimalist layout is complemented by tactile surfaces and organic textures, which effectively soften the digital interface's presence, creating a serene and intuitive user experience. Volvo Cars' Senior Color & Material Design Manager, Sara Erichsen Susnjar, elaborated on the thoughtful selection of materials, particularly highlighting the optional tailored wool-blend upholstery. This choice, while presenting production challenges, offers practical benefits such as natural temperature regulation and breathability, enhancing passenger comfort in varying climates.

The emphasis on color goes beyond mere aesthetics; it is a meticulous process involving a full year of evaluation. Susnjar explained that painted vehicles are observed outdoors across different seasons to understand how colors react to changing light conditions, from the warmth of summer to the crispness of winter. This comprehensive approach ensures that the EX60's finish maintains its visual integrity and appeal, much like how Wright adapted the colors within his home to align with seasonal changes, using warmer tones for winter and cooler ones for summer.

Russel Wright's Manitoga, a National Historic Landmark since 2006, offers a profound historical parallel to Volvo's design approach. Wright, renowned for his American Modern dinnerware, believed in creating domestic environments that maximized comfort and enjoyment. His home, Dragon Rock, completed in 1961, is a masterpiece of experimental design, where natural elements like large boulders and pine needles are artfully integrated into the interiors. This philosophy of blending with nature is mirrored in the EX60's unique Forest Light ambient lighting system, which projects leaf patterns onto the rear seats and console, creating an immersive natural ambiance within the vehicle's confined space.

The integration of the Volvo EX60 into the environment and its focus on sustainable, nature-inspired design principles are central to its appeal. The vehicle not only offers state-of-the-art electric performance but also a sanctuary where digital technology and natural aesthetics coexist harmoniously, providing a unique and thoughtful driving experience that resonates with the principles of modernist design and environmental consciousness.