Our Ouroboros is a large-scale interactive inflatable art installation in the works for Burning Man 2025, with fabrication based in Brooklyn, NY. Created by artist Youtian Duan and computational designer Kai Zhang, and brought to life with the help of many others, this page shares the journey from concept to the final form on the playa. Join us and watch it grow!
Embedded Files
Concept Renders
Concept Renders
The front view of Our Ouroboros. It is a trefoil knot inflatable structure covered in snake-patterned fabric, with a netted interior for climbing and exploration, secured by steel cables and designed to symbolize cycles of renewal and interconnectedness in the Playa.
Top-down view of Our Ouroboros.
Physical Prototype
About
About
Philosophy of the Piece
Our Ouroboros is a living symbol—a soft, climbable loop that invites us to feel how everything is connected. Inspired by the trefoil knot and the ancient symbol of the snake eating its tail, it speaks of cycles: of endings that become beginnings, of healing that comes through return. It honors the quiet threads—between past and future, between you and me—that hold us together. This piece is an invitation to slow down, release, and step into a shared moment of presence, softness, and transformation.
Project Summary
Our Ouroboros is a large-scale, climbable inflatable sculpture shaped like a snake looping into a trefoil knot. Designed for touch and presence, it responds to contact with flowing light—lines that trace across its body like connection made visible. The structure welcomes play, pause, and shared stillness. Born from a desire to give back to the desert that changed us, it offers a gentle, interactive space where people can meet, rest, and remember that they’re not alone.
Physical Description
This 8-foot-tall, 14-foot-wide inflated serpent curves into itself, forming a continuous, climbable loop. Built from 96 precisely patterned panels of durable fabric, it appears smooth and quiet by day—an anchor in the dust. By night, it pulses with light that shimmers like breath across its surface, triggered by human touch. Engineered for the harshness of the playa yet soft in its invitation, it welcomes rest, play, and connection.
Interactivity
Our Ouroboros is not just to be looked at—it asks to be felt. Every handprint sets light in motion. Every interaction, a thread in the ever-weaving story. Touch points illuminate the body, link to others, and summon sound that gently evolves with presence. Whether curled inside it alone, or laughing atop it with strangers, participants are not merely viewers—they are co-authors of a living, luminous experience.
Pattern Design - First Iteration
Pattern Design - First Iteration
This image presents a trefoil knot structure with vibrant colors used solely as a reference for later sewing fabrication patterns, not for aesthetic purposes. We’ve carefully designed the inflatable pattern with continuous purple stripes that follow the shape of the trefoil knot. These stripes serve as reinforced connection points for the netting inside the loops, reducing the number of sewing connections and creating a stronger link between the net and fabric surface, allowing participants to climb and interact safely. The reinforced pattern is engineered to withstand harsh playa winds and support participant weight, ensuring both stability and structural integrity.
Sewing pattern design
Pattern Design - Second Iteration
Pattern Design - Second Iteration
For the second iteration, we adjusted the pattern to simplify fabrication and arranged it to fit the industry-standard fabric width of 60 inches. This approach minimizes material waste and maximizes fabric efficiency.
Site Overview
Site Overview
Structure Design
Structure Design
Reference Credits to Pneuhaus
Anchoring Plan for Our Ouroboros (still developing)
To ensure Our Ouroboros is securely anchored in the playa environment, we’ll use heavy-duty, weather-resistant straps or ropes connected to D-rings or designated anchor points on the inflatable. These will be attached to robust stakes driven deep into the ground around the base, with each strap fastened tightly to maintain tension against strong desert winds.
Key Anchoring Measures:
Durable Stakes for Playa Conditions: We’ll use long, heavy-duty stakes specifically suited for the desert, designed to keep the inflatable secure even in high winds.
Multiple Anchor Points for Stability: To protect against uneven strain, we’ll distribute anchor points evenly around the base with multiple straps, minimizing potential damage from wind gusts or shifting conditions.
Secure Attachments: Each strap will be double-checked to ensure a firm connection between the inflatable’s D-rings and the stakes.
Extra Stability on Soft Ground: Additional sandbags or weighted bags will be placed as needed to reinforce stability on the playa’s surface.
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