BURNING MAN TEMPLE OF 2025 MIX STRENGTH AND FRAGILITY BY USING KINTSUGI AND VOLCANIC ROCK

The Temple, the building at the festival's geographical and spiritual core, is burned down each year as Burning Man comes to an emotional close. Spanish architect Miguel Arraiz, who drew inspiration for his design from the Black Rock Desert's natural features, will create this expansive shelter for the 2025 Burning Man.

It is said that the enormous sculpture, called Temple of the Deep, is a daring development of more recent Temple designs. It is anticipated to take 15 days to assemble and will have a height of 44 feet and a diameter of 105 feet. To provide a place for communal introspection and healing, the design attempts to unite the ideas of strength and fragility.

Inspired by the volcanic rocks found throughout the Black Rock Desert, the structure's main feature is a heptagon that seems to unite the temporary occupants with the surrounding environment. The design, which is made of wood, attempts to evoke natural sheltering places like mountains, caves, and rocks. In the meantime, it hopes to lead festival attendees through an introspective healing process by referencing the seven stages of grief through its seven entrances.

Because the black, rock-like structure is broken into uneven pieces and brought together with a bright binding, The Temple of the Deep also borrows from kintsugi. "Our heart and soul are broken into pieces as we gather beneath a symbolic rock," Arraiz says in a statement. "These scars tell our journey (kintsugi) through collective healing, transforming loss into connection and serenity." The temple serves as a reminder that discovering and accepting our path is the first step toward healing. This design decision also creates a seductive interplay of light and shadow.

Burning Man Festival writes, "Miguel's design stood out for its imagination and depth." Its complex meaning made it an appealing option, from the fractured black rock signifying resiliency to the open interior encouraging connection. We also valued its capacity to stimulate original creative thinking.

The Temple of the Deep will burn on August 31, 2025, marking the emotional climax of the 2025 edition of Burning Man. Follow Miguel Arraiz on Instagram to be informed about its construction and other projects by the Spanish architect.