At the end of August, Burning Man returns to the desert, as Black Rock City—an ephemeral utopia—rises from the dust, only to be set ablaze after a week. It's a pilgrimage of passion and creativity, where dreams come to life before disappearing into ash.
Background of the Event
Burning Man is an annual event held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, lasting nine days and culminating on Labor Day in the U.S. The name "Burning Man" comes from the Saturday night ritual of burning a giant wooden effigy. Many participants describe the event as an experiment in community, art, radical self-expression, and extreme self-reliance.
The festival traces its origins back to 1986, when Larry Harvey, Jerry James, and a group of friends held a summer solstice bonfire at Baker Beach in San Francisco. They erected a 9-foot-tall wooden figure, along with a smaller wooden dog, and set them on fire. The event continued annually until 1990, when the police intervened due to a lack of permits. From there, the gathering moved to Nevada's Black Rock Desert, where it has grown exponentially, with over 80,000 participants, known as "Burners," attending the 2022 edition.
Burning Man is not defined by a single focus, as participants come with diverse goals. The event's character is shaped by the community, art, absurd performances, decommodification, and revelry, with an emphasis on participation. Its guiding ethos is encapsulated in ten principles:
Radical Inclusion
Gifting
Decommodification
Radical Self-Reliance
Radical Self-Expression
Communal Effort
Civic Responsibility
Leaving No Trace
Participation
Immediacy
While Burning Man is often associated with imaginative and large-scale art, it also embraces a wide range of artistic forms. Interactive art and creative expression are key features, with countless theme camps registered with the organizers. These camps, designed by the large sub-communities within the event, serve as hubs for activity and living spaces, often incorporating art and design to foster engagement. Music, performances, and street theater are common throughout the camps and the broader city. The vast desert plaza is adorned with hundreds of art installations, ranging from small pieces to towering, complex sculptures, often powered by mechanics, lights, and fire.
Since 1995, Larry Harvey has introduced a different theme for each year’s Burning Man. These themes influence not only the design of the iconic effigy that’s set ablaze but also the artistic creations, costumes, camps, and vehicles that participants bring. The theme for 2023 was ANIMALIA, celebrating the animal kingdom.
Tickets
Burning Man has evolved from a private beach gathering into a global event where tickets are in high demand. Tickets are categorized into six types, sold at different times and aimed at different groups: FOMO Sale (early access), Stewards Sale (for group camps), Ticket Aid Program (for those in need), Main Sale, Kids Tickets, and OMG Sale (last-minute tickets). Additionally, all vehicles require a Vehicle Pass, and each passenger must have their own ticket. There are no single-day tickets or sales at the gate—every ticket covers the full event, although participants are free to leave early.
Black Rock City
Black Rock City (BRC) is the temporary metropolis created by Burners. The city’s infrastructure and layout are built by volunteers from the Department of Public Works (DPW), who often reside in BRC for weeks before and after the event. While the DPW manages the basic setup, participants create everything else, from theme camps and villages to art installations and personal camps.
City Layout
Since 1999, Black Rock City has been organized into a series of concentric, arced streets, covering two-thirds of a 1.5-mile-wide circle. At its center stands the giant effigy of "The Man." Radiating streets stretch outward from the Man to the city’s perimeter, and aerial photos show this circular layout clearly. The inner-most street is called Esplanade, while the other streets are named according to that year’s theme in alphabetical or sequential order, to make them easier to navigate. For instance, in 1999’s “Wheel of Time” and 2004’s “Vault of Heaven,” the streets were named after planets in the solar system.
The city’s grid also includes radial streets named after clock times (like 6:00 or 6:15), with “The Man” positioned at the center. Though visually striking, the formal design can make navigation challenging for first-timers.
Center Camp
Located at the city’s heart and facing "The Man" at 6:00, Center Camp is the main gathering spot. It houses the Center Camp Café, Camp Arctica, and other key services.
Villages and Theme Camps
Villages and theme camps occupy the inner streets of BRC, offering services, entertainment, and experiences for fellow Burners. Theme camps represent communities with shared interests, while villages are often a collection of smaller camps that pool resources for better placement. As the festival grows, BRC attracts an increasingly diverse crowd, with subcultures forming around these camps, much like in a permanent city.
“Leave No Trace” Policy
Burning Man is governed by a strict Leave No Trace policy. At the end of the event, Black Rock City is entirely dismantled, and every item and piece of trash is removed to restore the desert to its original, untouched state. The Bureau of Land Management enforces these rules, which cover trash removal, fire marks, dust abatement, and even vehicle fluid spills. For four weeks after the event, BRC’s DPW Playa Restoration Team remains in the desert to ensure that nothing is left behind.
Project Location
Black Rock City is located in the remote Black Rock Desert, about a 2-3 hour drive north of Reno, Nevada. The desert, split by the Black Rock Mountains, sits at an elevation of 1,191 meters and spans roughly 2,600 square kilometers. Most travelers arrive by car, bus, truck, RV, or other motorized vehicles.
Transportation to the Event
Most participants fly into Reno or San Francisco, rent vehicles, and drive to the event, often carpooling with locals. From Reno, it’s about a 2-hour and 15-minute drive to Black Rock City (BRC). Carpooling options and group information can be found on the Burning Man website.
For a faster option, Advantage Flight Solutions offers special flights directly to the desert from Reno and the Bay Area, with reasonably priced one-way or round-trip tickets and services like extra baggage or bike transport. These flights start the Saturday before the event, with several flights from Reno each day and up to two flights daily from San Francisco throughout the week.
Green Tortoise bus company operates a few tours from San Francisco to BRC, including food, lodging, and transportation.
Burner Express is a Burning Man-operated bus service, shuttling people from San Francisco and Reno to BRC and back. It offers quicker access to the event, faster entry, reserved camping, and faster departures.
BRC even has its own airport (88NV), operated by volunteers. It serves private planes for 13 days during the event and vanishes along with the rest of the city afterward. 88NV, located in northern Nevada’s Great Basin, sits on a dry alkali lakebed with two 6,000-foot runways.
Event Timing
Burning Man takes place annually, starting the Saturday before Labor Day and ending on Labor Day itself (the first Monday in September). In 2023, the event ran from August 27 to September 4. Late August brings high temperatures and dusty conditions in the desert, requiring participants to prepare for heat and sandstorms.
Design Team
Outdoor art installations are a signature feature of Burning Man, with architects, designers, and artists from around the world contributing each year. The desert becomes a blank canvas for large-scale, boundary-pushing art, much of which is interactive. Beyond the iconic effigy and the Temple, designed by different artists each year, hundreds of other installations reflect that year’s theme and leave lasting impressions on attendees.
There are no official, permanent design partners for Burning Man, but well-known firms like Denmark-based BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) have participated in the past.
Design Aesthetic
Burning Man’s desert setting, with its extreme weather conditions and isolation, lends itself to a post-apocalyptic aesthetic—a style often seen in films and games like Mad Max, Dune, Borderlands, and Fallout. These works, with their mix of chaotic elements, capture the raw, untamed energy of rebuilding human civilization after catastrophe. At Burning Man, this translates into a celebration of resource-sharing, humanity’s primal essence, spiritual faith, cooperation, and a return to nature, all reflected in the design and environment.
In combination with a futuristic, sci-fi backdrop, these designs incorporate mechanical beauty, geometric elements, symmetrical patterns, classical proportions, minimalism, and technological integration. This aesthetic creates a rugged yet expansive visual style—wild and free, but with detailed craftsmanship that alternates between soothing and bold.
The influence of 20th-century visionary architects is also present. For example, Archigram’s concepts of the “Plug-in City” and “Walking City,” which once only existed in sketches, are now often embodied in the layout of Black Rock City and its camp structures.
Each year, Burning Man’s theme adapts to the state of the world, and its design evolves accordingly. It doesn’t belong to any single culture or aesthetic. Like the event itself, the design reflects the fleeting nature of utopia—a temporary beauty that burns away after one brief, intense moment.
In the end, the true stars of Burning Man’s design are the Burners—the 80,000 participants. Every design concept comes to life through their interactions, their unique self-expression, and their contributions to the event’s ephemeral magic. Every Burner is a reflection of the event’s design philosophy, and they are the protagonists of this annual utopian experiment.
Project Experience
If the 2023 hit animated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse showcased incredible creativity and vibrant visuals of a multiverse, then Burning Man is its real-life counterpart, multiplied. It's an experience so dreamlike that no amount of flashy words could fully capture its essence. But simply put, Burning Man is a temporary, mobile city built in the middle of a desolate desert, a week of wild celebrations, and then everything is dismantled, leaving the desert pristine as if it never happened.
1. The Evolution of Black Rock City
Under satellite images, the life cycle of Black Rock City follows this process:
Four weeks before Burning Man, organizers begin planning the layout of the city.
Three weeks before the event, the main radial roads and the pentagonal outer boundary are marked out in the desert.
Two weeks before the event, the circular street grid starts forming, and some structures are built.
Two days before the festival, the clock-themed radial streets are clearly visible, with the outer ring street names changing annually but Esplanade (the innermost ring) remaining constant, facing the center.
During the event, camps and tents fill the radial and circular streets, the airplane runway lies to the south, and the "Man" stands in the very center of Black Rock City.
Three days after the event, only a few structures remain as cleanup begins.
Five days after the event, nearly everything has been removed, and the desert roads are fading.
From start to finish, this temporary city goes through stages of preparation and teardown, all while adhering to strict guidelines for leaving no trace.
2. Entry Ritual
While the theme of Burning Man changes each year, this isn’t the MET GALA—there’s no dress code or ranking. No matter your mood or purpose for coming, as you cross the dusty road toward Black Rock City’s entrance, an entry ritual awaits.
Upon arrival, participants are asked to complete a “dust ceremony.” It’s a tradition that marks your acceptance of the desert conditions—wind, dust, and all. You’re encouraged to roll around in the dirt if you wish, with cheers from the volunteers around you.
Next, you're given a bell stick. Participants are told to focus their thoughts, hopes, or intentions on that stick. Once you're ready, leave everything else behind at the entrance. Ring the bell and step into Black Rock City, beginning your unique journey into the experience.
3. Re-reading the "Ten Principles"
Though Black Rock City is a place of extreme freedom, it is built on a set of guiding rules known as the Ten Principles of Burning Man, which shape a respectful and harmonious community. These principles are the spirit of Burning Man:
Radical Self-Reliance: In the absence of basic infrastructure like water or electricity, participants must rely on themselves to survive the desert’s challenges, bringing their own food, water, and shelter.
Decommodification: Money has no place at Burning Man, and nothing is for sale—except ice, essential for keeping food cool and preventing heatstroke. Everything else is shared freely.
Gifting: The community thrives on generosity without expecting anything in return. Contributions range from volunteering to organizing events, hosting parties, sharing food, or creating art. Whether you offer a lavish camp or a simple handmade gift, the emphasis is on sharing freely.
Leave No Trace: Participants must protect the environment, leaving no impact on the desert. This includes collecting every piece of trash, not spilling water on the ground, and cleaning up even the smallest debris.
Radical Inclusion: Burning Man welcomes anyone, regardless of background, whether disabled, elderly, children, or nudists. Black Rock City embraces everyone without prejudice.
Radical Self-Expression: Attendees are encouraged to express themselves however they wish. From how you dress to how you decorate your bike or camp, creativity is endless. Self-expression adds to the art and the overall experience for others.
Communal Effort: Burning Man is about cooperation. People care for each other, work together to create art, and help each other. There's a sense of belonging, where the first question you’re often asked is, “How can I help?”
Civic Responsibility: Actions must be legal and consider the well-being of the community. This is common sense but remains an important principle.
Participation: “We achieve existence through action. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through acts of open-hearted participation.”
Immediacy: Live fully in the present moment, both physically and mentally. Experience everything as it happens, without distraction.
These principles serve as the foundation of every design, activity, and interaction at Burning Man, shaping the spirit of the event and the city itself.
4. Theme and Camps
Each year, Burning Man sets a unique theme that reflects the current spirit and beliefs. This year's theme, "ANIMALIA," explores and celebrates the animal kingdom, both real and imagined. The theme invites participants to delve into a world of mythical creatures, spirit animals, and the concept that what we imagine can feel just as real as what exists in nature. The 2024 Burning Man transforms the barren desert into a vibrant “spiritual home of animals,” filled with creatures both familiar and fantastical—ones you've seen, ones you’ve only imagined, and ones you’ve never believed possible.
This is the first time in Burning Man’s history that the festival revolves around animals, making the theme central not just to the event’s activities but also influencing the design of the artwork, the camps, and even the tickets and guidebook.
The circular streets of Black Rock City have also adopted animal-themed names, arranged in alphabetical order from A to K, starting from the innermost ring. The camp layout is intricate, with the city’s design adapting annually based on past experiences and new conditions, providing flexibility and creativity in planning each year.。
While the annual theme and city layout shift, a few consistent elements always remain. At the heart of Black Rock City lies the Playa, the vast open space at the center, where the Man stands, surrounded by all the activity. Directly behind the Man is the Temple, a sacred space, while Center Camp lies in front of the Man. The city radiates outward with straight roads named after clock positions and concentric circular streets that start from the Esplanade. The city is divided into seven sectors, each corresponding to a different time zone, and each sector has specific areas reserved for themed camps and villages. There’s even a Facebook group for each sector, where participants can connect with their "neighbors."
Under the overall planning of the large area, each camp in each zone has its own requirements. Most of the camps in Black Rock City are themed camps, but there are also other types of camps. The specific types of camps are:
Themed Camps:
Starting in 1995, themed camps have become the primary way for most people to camp and participate in Black Rock City. Themed camps are organized groups that come together to provide services, entertainment, art, and other creative interactive experiences for everyone at the Burning Man festival. They also serve as homes for camp members to sleep, eat, and take care of their needs while living in the desert. They are the interactive core of the festival. Themed camps can accommodate groups of 3 to 400 people.
Villages:
Villages are groups formed by two or more themed camps, accommodating at least 38 to 50 people.
Art Support Camps:
These camps provide support for art installations in the vast desert area.
Mutant Vehicle Camps:
These camps support registered large modified vehicles and are subject to size restrictions.
Open Camps:
Open camping is available in many blocks between H Street and K Street, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Walk-In Camps:
Located outside the last street, these camps are in sectors 2:00 to 5:00. Vehicles cannot drive in walk-in camps.
There are also project departments and work support camps that help maintain the safety and daily operations of Black Rock City.
The design and standards of the camps have specific requirements for organizers and participants, detailed in a thick manual that includes information on fire safety and more. Besides the shared requirements of the previously mentioned ten principles, the differentiation of each camp largely depends on the "interactivity," "visual impact," and "uniqueness" in their designs.
Here are the details of the three specific factors:
Interactivity:
Provide experiences for the entire community and clearly open participation to those who do not belong to the camp (including considerations for different levels of accessibility).
Match interactivity and offerings according to the size of the camp. Larger camps should especially strive to bring certain things (or combinations of things) to the PLAYA that only large camps can accomplish.
Focus on doing something well rather than simply expanding for more attention. A grand vision can be a multi-year project.
Visual Impact:
An open, inviting, vibrant facade that is accessible to the public and suitable for the required street type.
Transform the camp into an inviting, warm, and safe place to explore by adding visual elements, such as camp signage, nighttime lighting, decorations, and art.
Consider and experiment with hiding, beautifying, or otherwise integrating RVs, vehicles, and infrastructure into the streetscape.
Uniqueness:
It doesn’t have to attract everyone, but it should be something that truly belongs to itself.
Interesting, creative, meaningful, themed interactions, or variations that enhance the core experience of the camp (a great bar isn’t about the variety of free drinks but about the experience created within it).
Regularly try new things or change the offerings or themes within the camp. Such choices, even if they fail, will be encouraged.
Welcome and support camps that create interactions for minority groups.
At Burning Man, the diverse atmosphere and themed activities of the many distinctive camps are quite appealing, and creative and personalized designs are continually emerging.
5. Art and Design
Every year, the Burning Man festival is a creative feast of art and design. The naturally formed PALYA square in the desert appears vast, and amidst the swirling winds and sands, it feels both surreal and real. The various art installations and mutant vehicles leave a lasting impression on those who have seen them.
The 2023 theme, "Animalia," invites every participant of the festival to embark on a journey that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, paying homage to the diversity of the animal kingdom in the natural world. Whether the animals have been seen in real life or are merely legendary, they range from creatures living in the desert's transitional zones to mythical beings that appear in our dreams—there's something for everyone. This year's artistic design installations burst with imagination, featuring a wide range of forms and contents. In the heart of Black Rock City, amid the barren desert, one encounters everything from a desert fish installation representing freshwater to exquisite pavilions made of fabric, and three-dimensional structures showcasing geometric concepts, all of which are mesmerizing and immersive.
1. Burden of The Beast
Designer: Walker Babington
"The Burden of the Beast comes from people's expectations of home. Even when shattered in the face of powerful natural disasters, it stands as a walking home that gathers hope and embodies rebirth." - Design Team
The "Burden of The Beast" is designed as a fantastical folk art sculpture that resembles a massive creature in the form of a bison, with a house perched on its back. It symbolizes the reconfiguration of a person's internal understanding of "home," conveying hope in the face of disaster.
This enormous installation stands at 9 meters tall and is constructed from materials of local architecture in New Orleans, representing the bison and the house. These buildings were destroyed in previous natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina. It is as if the fragments of collapsed houses possess consciousness and intent, spontaneously gathering and self-organizing into a massive walking installation, striving for a higher place.
2. Temple of the Heart
Designers: Ela Madej and Reed Finlay
“It creates a feeling close to the heart for those seeking comfort and respite, and it is filled with love.” - Design Team
As the large installation burned on the last night of the annual Burning Man festival, the Temple serves as a place to remember loved ones and friends, peaceful and enchanting, while also being impressive in its aesthetic and architectural design.
In 2023, the Temple of the Heart stands 40 feet tall, designed to mimic the “upside-down desert flower,” with a stem reaching for the sky at 80 feet, serving both as a lighthouse and a sundial. The structure is based on a 12-star base; the central gathering space is known as the heart chamber, described as a “place for meditation and mourning,” featuring 640 porous wooden panels, each intricately carved with different floral patterns. In the center stands a structural column that encourages guests from around the world to adorn it with flowers and greenery. The ceiling showcases traditional floral lace patterns from Eastern Europe, inspired by Ela's Polish heritage.
At the center of the heart chamber, a rose altar contains approximately 100 large to medium-sized roses and hundreds of small flowers crafted by volunteers and community members.
3. The Hive
Designer: Tim Bremner
“Just like a real beehive, we (burners) all have our roles and exist in a beautifully designed space.” - Design Team
In contrast to the serene calmness of the Temple, the giant effigy installation has always been the highlight of the Burning Man festival each year. The theme for 2023 was "Animalia," leading to the creation of 11 effigy designs, with “The Hive” ultimately winning, standing proudly at the center of Black Rock City in the summer of 2023.
While not everyone understands how a beehive operates in nature (for instance, mistakenly thinking the queen is in charge), this themed installation aligns well with the atmosphere of Burning Man and meets the official selection criteria: thematic relevance, aesthetics, and (considering time, budget, and manpower) constructability. I must say that I believe some of the rejected designs had more visual impact or deeper metaphorical significance than The Hive. However, just like the survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom, The Hive possesses a perfect combination of advantages, whether it's the post-pandemic environment, people's mindset preferences, or the familiar hexagonal aesthetic. Even the playful discussion of "BEE HAPPY" contributed to its victory, as it welcomed the spiritual pilgrimage and applause of 80,000 attendees amidst fireworks and flames.
4. ATABEY’s Treasure
Designer: NiNo
“ATABEY’s Treasure” is a particularly special art installation, returning to the Burning Man festival this year. It is designed as a fish leaping from the ground, aiming to remind people about climate change. Atabey is the mother of the Taíno people, one of the supreme ancestor deities in Taíno mythology, symbolizing freshwater and fertility, representing the spirit of the earth and the tides. Encountering it in the desert feels refreshing; the dust of the sand seems to inspire the artist's design, and the theme of "Animalia" makes this image design reasonable, like the fantasies that often appear in people's dreams, vividly projecting the spirit. (Jokingly, I wonder if the heavy rains later were summoned by it?)
5. Living Knitwork Pavilion
Designers: Irmandy Wicaksono and the Antidisciplinary Collective
“When the sun sweeps across the sky and the breeze blows, it sways gracefully, dancing to the symphony of life.” - Design Team
The Living Knitwork Pavilion is a custom modular textile shading structure (dodecagonal pyramid: 19 feet tall, 26 feet wide) made from 3D knitted optics and electroactive yarns that can sense activity and dynamically change color while glowing both day and night. Functional yarns intricately embedded in the twelve petals of the knit can detect physical interactions through a series of electric fields and resistance-based distance, touch, and strain sensors, driving an immersive lighting network in real time.
During the day, the installation serves as a shaded pavilion; at night, it transforms into an interactive light installation, becoming a public gathering space.
6. Loophole
Designer: Calidos
“Loophole begins with a circular coil, a basic yet beautiful geometric shape that recurs in nature and the universe.” - Design Team
Loophole is an art installation specifically designed for the Burning Man festival. Its inspiration comes from the geometric toroidal shape, which serves as a magnetic shield protecting Earth’s life. The central platform represents Earth, providing a space for people to celebrate life. It is surrounded by a series of metal rings forming a semi-circular shape, creating an endless cycle of light animation at night. The semi-circle attached to the ground is made of aluminum, gently moving to form a spiral shape, while the center of the installation features a small wooden platform standing 9 feet high and 4.5 feet tall, capable of supporting 5,000 pounds.
People can walk or ride directly into and experience the endless audiovisual loop. This experience captivates the senses through a custom soundscape and enhances it with custom-coded lighting visuals, guiding participants on an immersive journey through the loop. Climbing the stairs to the wooden platform further extends the adventure. This platform pays homage to the “Animalia” theme, allowing people to dance, meditate, or perform on AI-generated images; the circular platform symbolizes our planet, where humans and animals are protected from cosmic particles, allowing life to grow and celebrate.
7. The Face Grinder
Designer: Adam Frey
The Face Grinder is a mirrored spiral, resembling a disco ball but shaped like a helix, designed to rotate in the wind. Its rotating surfaces create mesmerizing, kaleidoscopic environmental images and light reflections.
8. 1000 & 1
Designer: Tyler Fuqua Creations
Two robots from different eras are trapped in the desert. One is an early model, perhaps a prototype, while the other has just come from the factory. Standing face to face, their index fingers are just inches apart. These robots are completely different, yet oddly similar. Robot #1 is made of wood, exuding a steampunk vibe, featuring simple lighting with Edison bulbs. Its back is equipped with a device adorned with various gauges, dials, and copper tubes. Robot #1000, on the other hand, is made of shiny steel and equipped with color-changing LED lights, sporting a sleek, shiny jetpack on its back. The wooden robot holds a large metal wrench, while the metal robot wields a wooden-handled axe. Are these two robots going to fight, or are they going to learn from each other?
9. Amun-Ra
Designer: David aiu Servan-Schreiber
Amun-Ra is an art installation designed by David aiu Servan-Schreiber. It is a 15-foot cube structure encasing a golden "planet" in the center. This striking piece connects spirituality and sustainability. Amun-Ra is illuminated by solar panels, promoting the use of renewable energy.
As participants walk around the installation, they are encouraged to reflect on the interconnectedness of all living beings and their environmental responsibilities. The installation fosters connections through observation and discussion, raising awareness of sustainability without requiring direct physical interaction. Amun-Ra symbolizes our deep appreciation for the Earth.
10. Museum of No Spectators
Designers: John Marx and Absinthia Vermut
“In the Museum of No Spectators, everyone is an artist, and we hope people will come to share their creativity, regardless of their skill level or experience.” - Design Team
Founded by architect John Marx and artist Absinthia Vermut in 2019, this museum challenges traditional museum experiences as a pop-up project, returning with new art pieces and features to the Burning Man festival in 2023. This year, the museum, built by volunteers, expanded into a 1,400-square-foot steel-framed and aluminum-clad structure, enlarging the gallery space and showcasing beautiful iridescent light under the sun.
11. Apex of Azure
Designer: Anna Gribovsky
“Visitors may become visually lost within it, much like we sometimes do when swimming or walking through a beam of strong light, suddenly feeling dazed.” - Design Team
Apex of Azure (AoA) allows visitors to walk around a dynamic artwork using transparency, light, and structural design. This installation features a pyramid-like structure made from triangular acrylic panels, resembling futuristic stained glass. Each panel is painted with alcohol inks (isopropyl pigments), depicting water and sky. Each of the ten triangular sections features linear and organic laser-cut designs in organic resin, allowing light to pass through. From a distance, the structure appears as a pyramid, while up close, it looks like an “X.” The opening in the center provides a passage inside the structure, offering another spatial and visual perspective. At night, LED backlighting illuminates the edges of each section. During the day, sunlight passes through, casting colorful shadows and lacy patterns on the ground.
This work expresses itself not through wood or metal, but through ink, acrylic, and the bright light of the desert (or LED), depicting water and sky. These fluid and intangible elements are contained within the pyramid but are unrestricted by its shape due to the panels' transparency. As a result, “visitors may become visually lost within it, much like we sometimes do when swimming or walking through a beam of strong light, suddenly feeling dazed.”
12. Over Ruled
Designers: Cody Smith & Looking Up Arts
A massive red sign boldly displays “Dancing is Prohibited” in large, bright letters, visible from a distance. This provocation dares participants to swing freely or dance casually in defiance, possibly gathering together for a sweaty, rhythmic act of rebellion. Ground-mounted spotlights cast the amplified silhouettes of dancers onto the letters, spreading the act of defiance across the entire PLAYA. The crowd thus amplifies their energy, emitting playful waves of joy and attracting more people to join in.
Ground-mounted white spotlights evenly illuminate each letter, making them clearly visible in true colors at night. The spotlights also project the amplified shadows of participants onto the letters, so dancers can sometimes be seen on them.
13. Queen Cobra
Designers: Andrea Greenlees, Andy Tibbetts, and Josh Haywood
“Snakes symbolize rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing.” - Design Team
The Queen Cobra is a large art installation made of shimmering powder-coated tubular steel and handcrafted copper. It resembles a massive cobra with its body coiled, a beautiful copper-scaled head adorned with a magnificent crown, and a raised hood. Her body is a circular structure that invites climbing and play, inspiring a sense of wonder in everyone.
Snakes symbolize rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. In many cultures, they are revered and celebrated. This artwork references these ancient shared myths. Specifically, the Queen Cobra represents the awakening of Kundalini, a sacred feminine energy that can be cultivated and awakened through tantric practices. This feminine spiritual power is strongly associated with happiness and joy, whether it’s pure physical pleasure or the bliss of spiritual liberation. As it rises to different levels of mystical experience until it reaches the crown, leading to a profound transformation of consciousness, it is visualized as an unfurling snake. People can climb from the tip of the Queen Cobra's tail to the top of her head, representing their own progress toward spiritual liberation. The intention of this installation is to inspire awe and enjoyment equally.
14. Awakening
Designers: Ryan Elmendorf and Nick Geurts
“In this immersive space, you will see different things; the world appears familiar yet different.” - Design Team
Awakening is both a large articulated sculpture and an immersive dark box space representing our birth. As a large articulated sculpture, it consists of three independent related structures; the head facing two hands extending from the ground. Climbing over the giant head's ears, you will discover a vast dark box inside!
The dark box is a dark space with a small hole in one wall that lets light in. Directly across from the hole, images from the outside are inverted and projected onto the wall. As a precursor to modern photography, the dark box also allowed Da Vinci to discover how the human eye operates in the same way. In this immersive space, you will see different things; the world appears familiar yet different.
The head and hands stand 16 feet high, with the hands positioned at a distance equivalent to the “arms” of the head, palms facing inward, as if a giant is looking at its own hands for the first time. The knuckles are polished stainless steel balls with a 12-inch diameter, arranged using elegant and innovative stainless steel aircraft cables and motorized systems. The hands' structure mimics the anatomy of a human hand, with the outline of the steel plates representing the skin of the hand, and the internal negative space following the shape of the bones. The head features optical lenses from the eyes and is a stereoscopic camera obscura that can focus light from the outside and project images onto the back of the room. Each eye has a colored filter, and participants wear cardboard 3D glasses to give the images three-dimensional depth from the perspective of the giant. The field of view for the projected images is nearly 180 degrees both vertically and horizontally, providing an immersive experience for the viewers.
“The human body is the most highly engineered object in existence, a machine made up of countless parts and unfathomable functions. Its workings have inspired all of humanity's greatest inventions. This work pays homage to two of the most astonishing mechanisms within that machine: the human eye and hand. They represent the distinction between us/life and the rest of the universe, embodying the capacity to observe the world around us and manifest that world's changes.”
15. Chalice to Eleusis
Designers: Hunter Leggitt, Jonathan Berry & House of Fābl
“Our cultural roots have been buried underground and hidden in libraries for nearly two thousand years, and are finally being revealed.” - Design Team
The Chalice to Eleusis sculpture draws inspiration from kykeon, a psychoactive drink used in ancient Greek celebrations. This oversized sculpture looks like a cup just dug from the sand, revealing the knowledge of Eleusis. The way of life in Eleusis has faded into the annals of history. Now, at this moment, the past is being unveiled. Our cultural roots have been buried underground and hidden in libraries for nearly two thousand years, and are finally being revealed. A transformation is occurring, and the universal balance between chaos and the cosmos is also being released. Kykeon reveals its truth to the public.
16. Heartburst
Designers: Patrick Clements, Jillian Leedy, Shawn Gehle, Christian Roberts
“This is an artistic feast that encourages visitors to slow down, immerse themselves in their surroundings, and connect with something greater.” - Design Team
Heartburst, conceived by OFFICEUNTITLED (OU) co-founders Benjamin Anderson, Christian Robert, and Shawn Gehle, is a stunning structure made from hand-assembled bamboo scaffolding, forming a 30-foot volume that is 15 feet high. Bamboo is placed every 18 inches, creating a three-dimensional grid with over 6,000 individual connections. The hand connections of the structure showcase exquisite craftsmanship and aesthetics using both modern and traditional joining techniques. Heartburst aims to promote physical, mental, and communal cohesion and healing, inviting visitors to slow down, immerse themselves in their environment, and reach a certain level of awareness. Besides being eco-friendly, bamboo enhances Heartburst's groundedness, increasing human understanding of the materiality of the built environment. The celebration of natural materials has a calming and centering effect, allowing a closer connection to the natural world and a greater sense of stability.
Heartburst is firmly rooted in material choice, assembly, and the power of minimizing materials, revealing a series of four large heart-shaped voids on each side of the structure as participants move around it. OU's choice to use bamboo reflects their interest in advancing the sustainability goals of Burning Man, as bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly and fastest-growing materials. By utilizing bamboo in the construction of the installation, Heartburst furthered OU's commitment to environmental responsibility and demonstrated the possibilities of creating stunning spatial experiences while considering the impact of the process and project on the Earth. OU collaborated with SEAD Build, a Malaysian bamboo company run by Lucas Loo, to ensure that the materials used for Heartburst are eco-friendly, sustainable, and structurally durable. The bamboo used is not only more sustainable than other forms of wood but is also “negative carbon” when considering raw materials, transportation, and production. While Heartburst does require extensive hand assembly, it has been streamlined for quick assembly during the Burning Man build week and rapid disassembly after the event.
17. Masterpiece #999
Designer: Benjamin Rowe
“This is an exploration of geometry, form, and the use of simple materials, creating a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. I’m very satisfied with its ‘designed’ feel; it has a different presence in the daytime and nighttime.” - Design Team
Masterpiece #999, dubbed “Ghost in the Dust,” stands twice the height of a human. This wooden sculpture is the latest project from designer Benjamin Rowe, part of “a series exploring the potential of simple materials to convey artistic messages geometrically.” However, when viewed from a distance in the desert, it looks a bit like a giant scarecrow standing there.
18. Chapel of Babel
Designer: Michael Garlington
“The human elements, animals, flowers, insects, and leaves in the portraits will express that we are all here, and will provide a place for each person in all their versions and iterations.” - Design Team
Michael Garlington, with his irresistible imagination, brings another magical creation to Burning Man 2023: the Chapel of Babel. The chapel is a recurring dream that has been in his mind for years, finally realized. The hexagonal wooden structure will be covered in Garlington's iconic black and white photographs of various sizes, creating a stunning visual effect throughout the structure. The human elements in the portraits, along with animals, flowers, insects, and leaves, will convey that we all belong here and will provide space for everyone's different self-perceptions and expressions.
19. BitCube
Designer: Colin O'Donnell
BitCube, designed by Colin O'Donnell, is made up of 224 standard IBC water containers stacked to form a large cube, which people can enter through a door on one side. This installation creates a minimalist, abstract visual narrative that contrasts with the ubiquitous high-resolution displays. BitCube embraces the limitations of low-resolution media, encouraging viewers to find beauty in simplicity.
The installation's audio-reactive capabilities reflect the collective heartbeat of the Burning Man community. Light patterns range from abstract shapes to minimalist representations of life and energy, resonating with the creativity, self-expression, and community spirit of Burning Man in the simplified interplay of light, space, and perception. Each cube serves as an individual pixel in a colorful light display, forming projections from abstract shapes to minimalist representations of life.
20. Wings of Glory - The Return
Designer: Adrian Landon
“The Burning Man event itself, along with everything involved, opened the door to inspiration for the concept of Wings of Glory.” - Design Team
Wings of Glory, which debuted at Burning Man 2019, is a massive interactive metallic mechanical Pegasus sculpture that gallops and flies in slow motion. This year, it returns to Burning Man BM2023, raised high on a pedestal.
21. Mutant Vehicles
Mutant Vehicles are one of the unique and popular features at Burning Man, where everyone loves these creatively extravagant “mobile art installations.” To distinguish them from the more traditional artistic vehicles often seen at various events (like parade floats), they are officially referred to as "mutant vehicles." This name signifies that these vehicles must undergo significant modifications or be entirely custom-built, making them refreshing and different from typical surface-level alterations or simplistic designs.
In addition to not being allowed to resemble emergency services or law enforcement vehicles, there are no design restrictions on mutant vehicles (though there are size requirements). All mutant vehicles must be registered and licensed, with the number of annual permits capped at under 800. Considering an average absence rate of 21%, the actual number of mutant vehicles is usually kept under 650. Vehicles featuring special effects, such as flame-throwers, must also pass thorough safety inspections. Over the years, mutant vehicles have evolved into one of the most iconic cultural and spiritual symbols of Black Rock City.
6. Activities
Even though Burning Man lasts just over a week, it’s packed with over 2,300 non-stop activities for participants to join and experience. Attendees can find a thick handbook, arranged alphabetically from A-Z, available on the official website and at the entrance, detailing a diverse array of free activities ranging from food, music, sports, art, meditation, and even doing nothing! There are also combo packages that feature multiple formats within one activity, like a pasta tasting paired with live music. The possibilities are endless and incredibly creative.
Everyone can use the "iburn" app provided on the website to check maps, facilities, events, and navigation for walking or biking to various spots around the site.
As for the activities themselves, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, even if some seem a bit wild. Participants can choose from rare Pink Floyd DVD screenings or sacred art workshops featuring air harps. Most DJs keep the dance parties lively, each with its own unique vibe and atmosphere. For those wanting to get active, there are trampoline arenas and lightsaber combat training to satisfy their curiosity, alongside more options like healing yoga, super marathons, mini-golf, or "soul-evoking" dodgeball! Food lovers also have plenty to do, with various food tastings and creative activities like “Bacon Communion” or “Tarot Tea Parties” attracting their fans.
One notable category of activities is the various DOMES throughout Black Rock City. These famous dome gatherings have become another hallmark of Burning Man, featuring unique activities that range from quiet to loud, competitive to collaborative, intense to transcendent. The popularity of the DOMES stems from their portability, ease of installation, and sturdy design, able to withstand the desert’s dust storms and heat.
Even though some traditional DOMES were closed in 2023, many remained open, fostering a harmonious atmosphere. The staff at each DOME patiently guided and explained things, ensuring safety and order. As for the content and experiences, to maintain their mystique, it's best to discover them firsthand—after all, there's an old saying: “What happens at Burning Man stays at Burning Man.”
7. When Burning Man Becomes "Raining Man"
“This might not be what people expect from Burning Man, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to come back next year. Regardless of the conditions, this festival allows everyone to be unapologetically themselves. It’s been an exhilarating experience, and the kindness of strangers has touched me. Not even overflowing toilets can deter me. I’m already saving up for next year’s ticket.” – Attendee
The 2023 Burning Man was a special year, marked by an unexpected downpour in the desert. After days of celebration, heavy rain began falling on Black Rock City in the Nevada desert on Friday, September 1, making activities difficult and mobility challenging.
“But that doesn’t mean the festival was terrible—far from it. The bad weather created a softer atmosphere. Before the storm, people scattered to do their own things. But once all activities were canceled, we huddled together. We got to know each other and played games to lift our spirits. Spontaneous activities erupted: a group donned inflatable bull costumes to simulate bull runs in the mud. Another group organized a nude mud hike. Some stuck in other parts of the desert threw a dance party in deserted areas. Meanwhile, more artistic attendees created a series of amusing mud sculptures in the muddy environment.”
As the rain fell, those who remained displayed their creativity and humor. Amidst the mud, they hosted “mud wrestling extravaganzas” and dance parties in the muck. Planks and pallets were used as makeshift bridges to cross flooded areas. Colorful rain boots and plastic ponchos were everywhere, adding vibrancy to the rain. Various ironic artworks and slogans about the rain were posted, along with “Rain Appreciation Stations” where people could enjoy being drenched in water from rain barrels. Participants organized impromptu “mud runs,” crafting slides from tarps and plastic sheeting to play in the muddy terrain. Large art sculptures and floating objects were designed for the muddy spaces, and with music playing, the “Rain Dance” continued on various stages.
Despite the challenging environment, participants maintained a positive and optimistic outlook, helping one another and treating each day as an adventure. The muddy conditions inspired boundless creativity, embracing the rain with a joyful spirit.
Perhaps it was fate or coincidence, but under this year’s theme of “Animalia,” an unexpected disaster led participants to explore how to act “beyond the animal” in this situation.
8. Closing Ceremony
Although heavy rain caused the organizers to delay plans twice, the traditional Burning Man ritual of burning the Man took place on the night of Monday, September 4, after the rain subsided. This was the climax of Burning Man, where everyone celebrated together like New Year’s Eve, fireworks illuminating the night sky over Black Rock City. People hugged, cheered, and laughed as flames erupted around the Man, creating an atmosphere that reached its peak. This year’s burning ceremony felt like a response to the “Rain Man,” serving as a crowning ceremony for those who remained.
The day after the Man burned, the final burning of the Temple marked the end of the Burning Man journey. In contrast to the previous night’s flames and cheers, this evening was solemn and quiet. As people sat silently around the square, the Temple melted away in the flames, filled with memories of lost loved ones. No one made a sound, yet the firelight evoked profound emotion, and the 2023 Burning Man concluded in a serene, reflective atmosphere.
Summary
If Burning Man occurring in the desert is a coincidence, its success lies in its ability to flourish in desolation. Amid the vast desert, amidst harsh conditions, everything is built out of nothingness, yet it is fleeting, destined to turn to ash and disappear, returning to its original state, leaving no trace behind. These unique design conditions are both liberating and demanding, igniting mirage-like designs and astonishingly unrestricted creative experiences. The heavy rain in 2023 may serve as a turning point for future Burning Man designs, with diverse creative works likely to emerge.
Larry Harvey, the late founder of Burning Man, once said, “When this festival is popular everywhere else, it means its spirit has become the spirit of the age; that is when it will end.” Perhaps beyond ideological conflicts, when people face an unexpected transition from desert to muddy land, creativity can still accompany them in their quest for joy and dance. This spirit is one that we hope will never end.
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