mirrored steel bubbles shape suspended kinetic sculpture by vincent leroy in normandy

Vincent Leroy imagines a moving cloud in the Normandy sky

Installed above the Caen peninsula in Normandy, Molecular Cloud is a suspended kinetic sculpture composed of mirrored stainless-steel spheres arranged in a cloud-like formation. Designed by French artist Vincent Leroy for the Millennium of the city of Caen, the project introduces a reflective structure that interacts directly with its urban and atmospheric surroundings.

Positioned between the city’s new peninsula district and the historic Abbaye aux Dames, the installation establishes a visual link between the area’s historical and contemporary layers. The spheres form a constellation-like cluster that reflects the city, sky, and movement of passers-by, generating continuously shifting visual conditions. As viewers move beneath the suspended elements, the mirrored surfaces multiply and distort their surroundings, producing a perceptual field that changes with angle, distance, and light.

all images courtesy of Vincent Leroy

light reflects upon the kinetic installation’s mirrored form

Artist Vincent Leroy’s work relies entirely on natural illumination. Without integrated lighting, the installation responds to variations in weather, sunlight, and time of day, creating different tones and reflections throughout the day and across seasons. This dependence on ambient conditions positions the piece as a dynamic component of the local environment, rather than a fixed visual object. Visible from a distance, Molecular Cloud functions as a new marker along Caen’s waterfront while also operating as a pedestrian-scale intervention. The structure defines a space for gathering and observation, offering an accessible encounter with reflective geometry and spatial distortion.

The project continues Leroy’s investigation into movement, perception, and the interplay between form and environment. Here, the mirrored spheres serve as a device for reframing familiar urban and natural elements through repetition, reflection, and spatial suspension.

Molecular Cloud floats above the Caen peninsula as a suspended cluster of mirrored spheres

the installation reflects the sky and city, creating shifting visuals throughout the day

from within, the cloud frames a suspended window opening onto the sky

viewers walking beneath the cloud see their surroundings multiplied and distorted

the installation acts as both a large-scale marker and an intimate pedestrian space

reflections of the city and sky animate the spheres’ surfaces in constant motion

Molecular Cloud installation rests beneath the Abbaye aux Dames

the piece transforms familiar urban scenes through repetition and spatial suspension

natural light drives the installation’s changing tones and atmospheric effects

mirrored stainless-steel spheres form a cloud-like composition over the waterfront

the structure introduces a reflective landmark to Caen’s evolving urban landscape

project info:

name: Molecular Cloud

designer: Vincent Leroy | @vincent_leroy_studio

commissioner: Ville de Caen / Le Millénaire de Caen

manufacturer: Blam / Nantes

engineering monitoring: Ingé-Infra / Hérouville-Saint-Clair

dimensions: 11,50m x 8m x 8m

materials: Stainless Steel

location: Caen, Normandy, France

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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