cheng tsung feng plans dragon nest installation out of wood and metal in ljubljana

Cheng Tsung FENG presents Nesting Plan IX Dragon in Slovenia

For the ninth edition of his Nesting Plan series, artist Cheng Tsung FENG draws from local cultural motifs in Ljubljana, Slovenia, selecting the dragon, a prominent symbol in the city’s mythology, as the subject of the installation. The Nesting Plan series learns from the architectural expertise of the animal builders inhabiting each site, interpreting their nesting techniques through human construction materials, such as wood and metal, and craftsmanship as a tribute to their remarkable natural instincts. This time, the project takes place in Ljubljana, a city that sees the dragon as its guardian and spiritual symbol, earning it the nickname Dragon City. Inspired by the local dragon culture, the artist chose the mythical creature as the subject of the nesting plan for the first time.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Construction materials mirror a mythic dragon’s strength

Drawing from depictions of dragons in legends, ancient paintings, films, and childhood memories, the artist imagines a dragon capable of flying, powerful enough to clutch boulders, dwelling in harsh environments where other creatures cannot reach and plants cannot grow. Taking inspiration from the size and claws of the four green bronze dragons on the city’s famous Dragon Bridge, Cheng Tsung FENG envisioned the nest’s materials, interior space, and entrance dimensions, and created this imagined dragon’s nest. This work is designed to be movable; all of its components can be dismantled and reused, reassembled into furniture such as tables and chairs, extending its possibilities in countless ways. It is a gift dedicated to Ljubljana and its dragons, a nest for myth and imagination. Nesting Plan IX Dragon is commissioned by The Wellbeing Project for the Global Hearth Summit 2025.

Cheng Tsung FENG presents Nesting Plan IX Dragon in Ljubljana, Slovenia

the installation explores local mythology through architectural form

Ljubljana’s iconic dragon symbol forms the basis of the nest’s concept

part of the ongoing Nesting Plan series studying animal-built environments