Burning Man 40th Anniversary: 12 Architect-Designed Installations

As Burning Man celebrates its 40th anniversary in Nevada, Dezeen highlights twelve installations created by architects over the festival's history. The event began in 1986 as a solstice ritual at Baker Beach, San Francisco, founded by Larry Harvey and Jerry James, where the first Man effigy was burned. It later moved to the Nevada desert, where attendees construct and dismantle Black Rock City each year. The festival has grown to approximately 80,000 participants, with some early organizers noting it is "barely recognisable" today. Featured installations include Rod Garrett's 1997 Black Rock City plan, Gregg Fleishman's 2013 Temple of Whollyness, Dan Sullivan's 2016 Catacomb of Veils, Steven Brummond and Marisha Farnsworth's 2017 Temple, Arthur Mamou-Mani's 2018 Galaxia, BIG's 2018 Orb, JKMM Architects' 2019 Steam of Life, Antwane Lee's 2022 Solar Shrine, Steven Brummond's 2022 Project Carillon, Assaf Allouche's 2023 Reactor Project, Caroline Ghosn and Maissa Sader's 2024 Temple of Together, and Miguel Arraiz's 2025 Temple of the Deep. These works showcase diverse architectural approaches, from timber trusses and mirrored orbs to saunas and temples, reflecting the festival's ethos of temporary, participatory art.