Holon Temple: The Understanding Of A Multiverse

A holon, translating to whole in Greek, is something that is a whole as well as a part of a larger system.

The positioning of this temple by FR-EE Fernando Romero EnterprisE and its domes forges a link with the major locations in Black Rock City, Nevada, USA. The city is radial, following the direction of the clock hands, and FR-EE designed the temple adopting the same concept.

A holon can be conceived as systems nested within each other. Every entity can be considered a holon, from a subatomic particle to the entire Universe. In the design concept for the team’s proposal, the temple represents itself as the multiverse, a group of nested universes, a holon.

The team designed an all-timber structure with the realisation of creating a beautiful, but raw, and simple but complex interior space defined by a rational structure of 48 columns (trusses). The trusses meet at the top in compression rings (35), all of which are connected to 34 circles (horizontal members), each one representing one year of Burning Man’s existence. As burners approach the centre, the structure appears lighter and slenderer towards the sky.