Design Inspiration: Sculpting the Wind
Soothing and sometimes discordant sounds have recently floated along the Kattegat coast for the past month, a part of Aarhus, Denmark’s version of the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Throughout the most of June, this outdoor sculpture exhibit took place along an almost three mile seaside stretch of the Jutland peninsula. With over sixty-five pieces, the event brought in thousands upon thousands of visitors and provided countless hours of enjoyment and thought. Perhaps one of the most intriguing events was Chimecco by Mark Nixon of CZWG Architects. This artist/designer from London constructed an interactive sculpture that highlighted the convergence between natural and human movement.
Six-hundred gold-anodized aluminum pipes were suspended beneath a red, wooden foot bridge that crossed a gully adjacent to the shore. Having a uniform diameter of a little less than two inches and ranging in length from four-and-a-half inches to over twelve feet, these pipes hung between the bridge’s wooden planks, attached with raised, spring-loaded screws. The golden metal chimes followed the contour of the gully and, hidden from the pedestrians’ views, only their sound alerted people to their presence.
Moving with the wind, they acted as wind chimes and the spring-loaded screws also allowed visitors to “play” the peal by pressing down on the raised bolts as they strolled on the bridge. As well, event planners encouraged exhibition goers to voyage beneath and move the humongous sculpture by hand. Mr. Nixon sought to inspire both play and conversation within people with these beautiful, hidden chimes yet he also succeeded in displaying a glorious, interactive work of art.
Follow the link to see three different 360° views of the exhibit >
Image credits: Pokk.Se, Dezeen.com, Trendhunter.com