The Gothic Folly
Alex Noerpel & Hunter Keene
Location
11:15 5300', Open Playa
11:15 5300', Open Playa · open full map →
Directions
1.94 mi · 42 min walk · 16 min bike
From
6:00 & H
No fix yet — showing from home
- 1Take 6:00 toward the Man to Esplanade · 0.49 mi
- 2Head across the open playa to The Gothic Folly, straight toward the Man (bearing 30°) · 1.45 mi
- ●Arrive: The Gothic Folly · 11:15, open playa
1.93 mi as the crow flies. Radials every :15, walking ~2.8 mph, biking ~7.5 mph. Open the live compass map →
About
A monumental open-air cathedral rises from the playa as a skeletal framework of towers, arches, and luminous panels. The structure evokes both a gothic ruin and a futuristic folly, blending sacred architecture with raw industrial materials. By day, sunlight passes through colorful translucent panels that resemble stained glass, casting shifting color across the desert floor. By night, integrated lighting transforms the framework into a radiant beacon of light and geometry visible across the playa. The installation represents a temporary cathedral for Black Rock City: a place where monumental architecture, light, and the desert landscape combine to create a shared space for collective presence and interactivity.
- From
- New York, NY, United States
- Category
- Open Playa
- Program
- Self-Funded