It is already unusual seeing shipping containers plonked in Myers Park. But the out-of-shape shrink wrap construction on top seem especially odd.

But on Eden Park game days during the Rugby World Cup, these follies open up and unfold an experimental and artistic landscape, a project called Jack-in-a-Box.

Onehundred-sixty architecture, music and dance students from the University of Auckland (UoA) jointly created the 7 installations.

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Jack-in-a-Box is this year’s theme of AMPED, an annual multidisciplinary showcase of the University of Auckland’s National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries. It has been invited this year to be part of the Auckland Fan Trail that leads from Britomart through the park to Eden Park stadium.

Each of the installation sites has its own theme and at each of the six follies, student groups present their designs and performances according to that theme.

The walk up Myers Park appeals to all senses. Entering the park from underneath Mayoral Dr bridge, the Recasting installation of dancing-in-the-wind umbrellas welcomes rugby fans to a Chinese-sounding xylophone melody.

Further up, a white volcano blows smoke rings into the dark sky as part of the Reactive installation.

The creative director, UoA associate professor for design and design technology Uwe Rieger, says the Jack-in-a-Box theme evolved as a result of the event being hosted in Myers Park.

“The difficulty that we have is to transport the material into Myers Park. So we established six units with performances and installations spilling out to entertain fans on their way to the games.”

He says while the design is part of a class, the students are putting in a lot of extra effort as the preparation for every game takes up a whole day. The changeable weather proves especially challenging.

He says on a sunny day, about 5000 to 6000 people take the fan trail; if it rains, there are only about 1000 fans.

In total, he estimates about 30,000 visitors.

Tim Stevenson, a second-year architecture student, says he enjoys working “hands-on” and cooperating with the businesses that provide a lot of the material, such as the containers, the scaffolding and the shrink wrap.

The 20-year-old is part of the Diversion installation set up, inspired by the Wai Horotiu stream that still flows through Myers Park – even though today it is underground.

“We’ve got big boxes with ribbon coming off and as the wind blows they begin to ripple. It gets a really interesting fluid organic effect.

“It evokes the river and the fluid movement throughout the site.”

The events ends with the Rugby World Cup on finals day.