La Ballule

This inflatable, double-skin, plastic sphere was conceived in the first instance as an object for play. It is made of transparent polyurethane sheeting. At its centre is an air-cushioned space for a single person, who can safely roll down hills, sand dunes, ski slopes, waterfalls and the like within it. The occupant can control the movement of the sphere by redistributing his or her weight. The outer skin, four to six metres in diameter, is inflated by a generator-driven pump. Access to the roughly two-metre-diameter inner sphere is via a narrow tube with hand grips in the sides. The tube can be closed with a net. The inner and outer spheres are connected by parachute cords with airtight aluminium fixings. The standard four-metre model is relatively light, with a weight of roughly 80kg. The skin is elastic and resistant to damage.