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At the end of the 1980s Acconci created the Acconci Studio, in which projects for urban spaces are created. Taking his inspiration from the notion that, ‘in our overcrowded world we need space and time to ourselves’, Acconci produced the ‘umbruffla’. This is a wearable umbrella, a small dwelling that we can carry about with us and in which we can hide when we need a moment of privacy. He describes it as follows: ‘This is a new umbrella you could wrap yourself up in. Fix one end to your waist, the other to one wrist, so that both hands are free. Wearing it, you could dodge a passer-by, turn it towards the wind, and even welcome a companion
Acconci Studio
under it with you. The umbruffla is made from two-way mirrored Mylar. From outside the surface is mirrored, so while you can see through from inside, you would be camouflaged by the reflections of the city which shimmers on you as you walk.’ ‘The name of the object comes from the English word ‘ruffle’. When the object is closed the ruffles are gathered, but, when opened, they unfold and spring out into an umbruffla.