A good time is treasured not only while it’s going on, but also for the memories it creates. Christopher Bouton feels that way about the Burning Man festival, which he first attended in 2014. In the spirit of giving back, Bouton decided to design and build an art car to take to Burning Man. The result is the Forest House art car.
Bouton had a clear concept in mind as he began the project. “Something like a forest that contrasted with the stark landscape of the playa, but something that also evoked a sense of technology, futurism, and abstracted art,” reads the “Our Story” section of the Forest House website.
Built on a 2000 Bluebird school bus, the Forest House’s trees hold 30,000 individually controllable, full-color LED’s. The sound system, meanwhile, pumps 40,000 watts from eight Bose PowerMatch PM8500N amplifiers. All that sound isn’t wide open boom and blast, however.
The builders are quick to point out that their audio design goal was to have more than enough power so that no part of the system would be over-stressed. If you’re at Burning Man and want to experience the Forest House you can control the volume of the sound and the effect of the tree-based light show depending on which side of the vehicle you are on and how close you are.
If you get on the vehicle to experience the head-high column speakers, each sitting on top of a subwoofer, the sound is described as “most similar to the club experience.” The top of the art car is the DJ level and there it’s more laid back and you can reportedly hold a conversation even when the level just below is booming.
Bouton credits his friends with providing a great deal of help in constructing the Forest House, which he intends to bring back to Burning Man repeatedly.
If you haven’t been to Burning Man and are interested in getting your own inspiration, check the official Burning Man website for all the details.
