Membrane microclimate in a squid capsule

Visitors to the outdoor courtyard of Materials and Applications, a Los Angeles nonprofit research and exhibition center for public space, encountered fair weather in the cloudlike apparition called the Squid Capsule. The Squid Capsule, created by L.A. design firm Layer, consists of 40 transparent vinyl membranes hanging from steel aircraft cables like tentacles.

A cloud of fog covers the installation, creating small weather systems that visitors can experience—and better understand. The installation demonstrates climate change, as the membranes isolate and amplify shifts in Los Angeles’ summer climate. Parts remain dry, others accumulate droplets and rain.