The Jun Sato Laboratory, Department of Socio-Cultural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, exhibited Balloon Balancing at the IASS (International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures) Pavilion Competition in Turin, stacking the elements in a manner reminiscent of rock balancing.

Because of the softness of the material and the close spacing of the connectors, the structure could not stand when buckling-like behavior occurred. After experimenting on site to find the precise positions that would allow the structure to stand, the team successfully completed the installation and won Second Prize in the competition.

IASS (International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures)
https://www.iass-iwss2026.org/info/pavilion-proposal