Project
SOMBRA
Initiated by Metadecor International and Airshade Technologies, the project is a collaboration between several leading experts. Kersten contributed in the area of bending technology.
SOMBRA provides shelter and protection, but also interacts with the sun, breathing with heat and air. In deference to the powerful presence of the sun, its form follows the solar path at 35°12.6′N 24°54.6′E, a point between Venice and Dubai. Angled south, it relies on sunlight to function. It is not just a shelter but a performance—an architectural experiment in dynamic shading.
Inspired by the sun's path around the earth, SOMBRA's form has been carefully designed, engineered, built and its surface treated with state-of-the-art engineering and technology, addressing many topics of sustainable architecture.
From May 10 to November 23 2025, SOMBRA can be visited at the Marinaressa Gardens during the Biennale Archetettura in Venice, Italy.
