Hylozoic Ground has been selected to represent Canada at the Venice Biennale next year. (Philip Beesley Architect Inc./Canada Council)

The visually arresting Hylozoic Groundart installation will represent Canada next summer and fall at the 2010 Venice Biennale.

Specially designed for the Biennale, the project was a collaboration involving: Philip Beesley of Toronto-based Philip Beesley Architect Inc.; Rob Gorbet, associate professor at the University of Waterloo's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Andrew Hunter of the University of Waterloo's School of Architecture.

Beesley told CBC News on Tuesday the work presents "qualities of the Canadian wilderness."

The installation will transform the Canadian Pavilion at the Biennale into a forest of light, with touch sensors creating "breathing" motions and a network of mechanical fronds and filters sensing and responding to the pavilion's human visitors.

Earlier this year, the installation won first prize at the 11th annual VIDA competition on Art and Artificial Life held by the Fundacion Telefonica in Spain, an international competition fostering works of art created with artificial-life technology.

It was selected to represent Canada at the Biennale, the world's most prestigious architectural exhibition, through a national juried competition.

The 2010 Biennale runs Aug. 20 through Nov. 21.

Afterwards, Hylozoic Ground will tour galleries in Canada.