Con-Vivere is an installation by Barcelona-based architecture studio TAKK presented at MAXXI as part of the museum’s Entrate exhibition program. Curated by Martina Muzi, the project explores ideas of collective living and coexistence between humans and other species through a series of interactive architectural elements. The installation includes a flower-covered welcome station, a six-meter-diameter circular sofa upholstered in pink faux fur, a wellness bed incorporating light therapy and aromatic plants, and a planter tower that cultivates edible Mediterranean species within a cascading irrigation system.
Built from lightweight structures mounted on wheels, the installation is designed to encourage gathering, rest, conversation, and participation. A central feature is the Water Parliament, a fountain-like structure that visitors can climb and interact with, continuing themes previously explored by TAKK in earlier projects focused on water systems and environmental relationships.
Image Credit: José Hevia, MAXXI
What's Driving This Trend
- Interactive Social Lobbies
- Museum lobbies are evolving into participatory environments where modular seating, sensory features, and climbable structures transform transitional spaces into community-centered gathering zones.
- Multi-species Design
- Architecture that incorporates edible plants, aromatic ecosystems, and water relationships points to new spatial models that treat non-human species as active participants in public interiors.
- Mobile Wellness Installations
- Lightweight, wheeled structures with light therapy, soft textures, and planted elements create flexible wellness experiences that can be reconfigured across cultural and commercial venues.
Who This Affects Most
- Museums and Galleries
- Cultural institutions can redefine visitor engagement through immersive lobby installations that blend exhibition programming with rest, conversation, and sensory participation.
- Architecture and Design
- Design studios are finding new relevance in temporary, interactive interiors that merge furniture, ecology, and public programming into adaptable spatial systems.
- Wellness and Hospitality
- Hotels, spas, and leisure venues may draw from museum-based sensory environments to create restorative social spaces built around plants, light, texture, and communal comfort.
