How Clouds Move – Presented by the Academy of Architecture of Universita della Svizzera italiana USI

04.02.2026–22.02.2026

Have you ever looked up at the sky and wondered about the “physiology” of a cloud? Leonardo da Vinci described them as “bodies without surfaces”. But how do clouds move, even above the highest Alpine peaks? What laws govern their motion, and which forces shape their forms?

These are the questions that students at the Academy of Architecture of Università della Svizzera italiana USI, under the guidance of architect and designer Riccardo Blumer, set out to explore. Their work resulted in 34 cloud configurations (12 pieces are exposed), each with distinct dynamics and primary shapes, crafted in wood and equipped with a small electric motor that brings them to life. Structures and functionality emerge from reliefs, drawings, and models, while motion sparks the imagination, accompanied by cyclical sounds produced through slow, periodic rotation.

Designing the movement of a cloud - an ephemeral, ever-changing phenomenon of the natural world - serves so as a journey of discovery, linking creativity with discipline and method, while deepening our understanding of nature’s complexity.

At the same time, it offers visitors a captivating experience, inviting us to rediscover the beauty and perfection of the natural world.

Photo Credits: Academy of Architecture, Università della Svizzera italiana