The sculpture is presented with an original, interactive work created in collaboration with artist Aaron Koblin, Creative Director at Google’s Creative Lab. In the daytime, the sculpture’s delicate yet monumental form is subtle, blending in with clouds and sky. At night, it comes alive with illumination. Using physical gestures, visitors will be able to choreograph the lighting in real time via their mobile devices.

In order to achieve such scale and complexity, Echelman turned to Autodesk, a leader in 3D design software that seeks out interesting design problems. Autodesk collaborated with Studio Echelman to create custom 3D software to model the sculpture and test its feasibility. “The software has allowed me to explore density, shape, and scale in much greater detail,” says Echelman. “We can manipulate our designs and see the results immediately. We’re able to push the boundaries of our designs further.”

Made entirely of soft fibers, the sculpture can attach directly into existing city architecture. To support the artwork across such a large span, Echelman utilized Honeywell Spectra fiber, a lightweight, durable material 15 times stronger than steel by weight. via Studio Echelman

Boston based artist, Janet Echelman, recently installed a monumental aerial sculpture for this year’s TED Conference in Vancouver. The 745-foot wide installation is suspended between the roof of the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and the Vancouver Convention Centre. The sculpture is interactive; visitors can control the lighting via a smart phone app. The interactive component was aided by Google Creative Lab‘s Aaron Koblin.

@ybaynes

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