ASCENSION - “COCO”

CLIENT : Crimson Society

CATEGORY : Public Art Installation

LOCATION : Coachella Music Festival + Mexico City + Burning man

SERVICES : Project management | Fabric + Design Build | Installation

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

SEARCH+RESQ collaborated with Crimson Society to design and fabricate Ascension, a monumental origami-inspired crane installation created for the 2010 Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Rising 45 feet tall with a 150-foot wingspan, the sculpture transformed a traditional symbol of peace and imagination into a large-scale immersive experience for festival audiences.

Inspired by the delicate geometry of folded paper, "Coco" was constructed from sweeping planes of white fabric supported by a lightweight aluminum truss structure and tension-wire framework. The installation balanced artistry, engineering, and movement—creating a dramatic presence that appeared to float above the landscape while allowing light and air to pass through its expansive form.

Designed as a modular and transportable structure, Coco could be assembled, dismantled, and relocated to new environments around the world. Composed of more than 100 structural components and over 7,000 square feet of custom mesh fabric, the entire installation was engineered to be packed into a single shipping container for future installations.

Following its debut at Coachella, Ascension was transported to Mexico City, where it was reimagined as the centerpiece for NBC Universal's launch of its Latin Sci-Fi channel. Through collaboration, craftsmanship, and innovative fabrication, SEARCH+RESQ helped bring this evolving artwork to audiences across two continents.