The Covid-19 crisis forced arts organizations the world over to search for new ways to present work. At Blueridge, the pandemic nudged us to forge ahead with a project that's been on our mind for a long time: a portable concert stage! We wanted Blueridge Festival artists to be able to rove into the community and present outstanding free concerts in parks and public spaces--without sacrificing the beautiful acoustic environments that make chamber music come alive.

FOLIUM was created in partnership with the faculty and students of the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) Design+Build program in conjunction with the UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP). With an eye for portability and traditional un-amplified acoustics, the students designed a mobile stage using a 25mm plywood waffle structure and a 6mm marine-grade plywood skin that was bent and screwed into place to ensure rigidity. Folium's unique shape promotes passive sound projection to the spectators, eliminating the need for amplification. Built from local wood species sourced from local distributors, the structure's complex curves were milled using the KUKA robot at UBC CAWP, allowing for a precise construction with minimal material waste.