Follow the Yellow Ball

Follow the Yellow Brick Ball

Follow the Yellow Brick Ball

Follow the, follow the, follow the, follow the...

...follow the Yellow Brick Ball.

After doing a little searching it turns out this Yellow Balloon is the brainchild of an architecture firm. It has been travelling around the city to inspire the good people and visitors of Baltimore to sit and think about architecture. Good one on 'ya. Ziger/Snead. Good one on 'ya. (That's Irish slang for...you rock!)

How does architecture affect you? The City? The Environment? These are questions architects at Ziger/Snead have been challenged by for the last 25 years. And looking back, we wonder how have the buildings we've designed impacted the life that happens in and around them? How do those buildings impact the City at large? How will architecture impact the future of the City?

To force others who live, work, and visit Baltimore to think about these questions, an 8-foot, plain yellow balloon, with no imprinting of any sort, will be attached to a building or on a site in a manner which challenges the viewer to question their relationship to the building, the building's relationship to the site, and the site's relationship to the City at large.

Ziger/Snead has engaged local artist, Lee Freeman, to develop and install the exhibition. The yellow balloon might be positioned on the roof, it might be floating in a reflecting pool, it may be wedged between two trees - each site and building will demand an arrangement that responds to the architecture, site, and location in the City - that which forces the greatest mystery and reaction.

The yellow balloon will travel to 25 locations around the City from September 8^th-October 28^th, beginning with an opening reception for the exhibition at the AIA Baltimore gallery and finishing the last two weeks at Ziger/Snead's offices in Mt. Vernon.

We're hoping you will send us your thoughts on the project as well as any pictures you have of the yellow balloon on its adventure. Please email pictures to Katelin Etoh, ketoh@zigersnead.com.

Click here for more photos of the Yellow Balloon 

Thanks to my Uncle Johnny, may he rest in peace, for his inspiration. For without your mentoring, I probably wouldn't have even noticed this balloon high above the MICA Brown Center. He was an architect in New York city and always inspired me to look up. I see something new in Baltimore every time I step outside my office downtown or visit a new neighborhood. I am so thankful we have such an architecturally rich city in which to live. I think interesting buildings and the use of outdoor spaces does make a difference. Chin up good people, chin up. You never know what you will run into on the yellow brick road.

Check out Pigtown Design's shots of the yellow balloon. I'll add more as I keep seeing the balloon pop up.