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‘Ratatosk’, an old Norse word meaning ‘drill-tooth’, is an art installation by Helen and Hard, a Norwegian design firm. It is currently on display at the V&A museum in London.

The installation refers to an ancient squirrel from Norse mythodology that lived in a giant ash tree standing at the center of the cosmos. It recalls British 18th-century garden folly and consists of five ash tress that has been split lengthways and planted face to face.

“The intention is really to trigger a lot of joyful and playful interactions. This kind of stimulation of the five senses but also of your fantasy and imagination has been our goal,” said Reinhard Kropf, Helen and Hard’s principal designer, describing the concept of the design.

The trees used in the structure were gotten from Norway and carved using digital modeling and CNC milling.

Here’s the video of the construction of Ratatosk in V&A Garden:

Helen & Hard Ratatosk – construction in V&A Garden from Architects Build Small Spaces on Vimeo.