The Blur Building: Engineering the Ephemeral

Dynamic Interaction with Nature

Suspended over Lake Neuchâtel, the structure was enveloped in fog created using 31,500 MeeFog nozzles. Fresh water was pumped from the lake, filtered, and atomized into a fine mist using impaction-pin nozzles, each producing billions of ultra-fine droplets per second. The result was a dense fog cloud that spanned 300 feet in width and reached heights of 65 feet, completely obscuring the metal framework and creating the illusion of a building made of clouds.

Another captivating feature of the Blur Building was the fog’s continuous interaction with the natural environment. Real-time weather changes influenced the behavior of the cloud: wind created long drifting trails, high humidity and heat expanded the fog into broader layers, while high humidity and cooler temperatures caused the mist to sink down and gracefully roll across the lake’s surface. A smart weather-monitoring system adjusted water pressure across multiple zones, ensuring the fog remained dynamic and responsive to changing atmospheric conditions.

Collaboration and Innovation

Fujiko Nakaya, the world’s first fog artist, served as artistic advisor on the project. Her insight into the behavior and sculptural qualities of fog was vital to the Blur Building’s success. This collaboration with Mee Industries extended a partnership that began over three decades earlier, during Expo ’70 in Osaka.

Mee Industries was deeply involved in both designing and implementing the fog distribution system, as well as providing engineering support. Working alongside a multidisciplinary team of architects, engineers, meteorologists, and water specialists, Mee integrated advanced technologies with natural elements to execute this groundbreaking installation.

Although the Blur Building stood for only six months, its impact endures. It reimagined architecture as something to be felt and experienced, not just observed. Mee Industries is proud to have helped bring this bold vision to life through our high-performance fog solutions, demonstrating how MeeFog high-pressure water fogging technology can transform spaces and redefine architectural possibilities.