Rebecca Maloney
Americas Press Office ,Boston
Arup used adaptive form-finding algorithms to give structure to this undulating, ethereal Janet Echelman sculpture for TED2014.
The sculpture, “Skies Painted with Unnumbered Sparks,” is a collaboration of artists Janet Echelman of Studio Echelman, and Aaron Koblin, creative director of Google’s Data Arts Team. Arup is the engineering designer for the 23,000ft2 interactive pre-stressed net sculpture debuting at the 30th Anniversary TED conference in Vancouver, BC. The sculpture spans 745ft between the roof of the 24-story Fairmont Hotel and the new Vancouver Convention Centre West across the waterfront. It is believed to be the largest pre-stressed rope structure in the world.
Our primary role was to create the geometric and structural design for the pre-stressed rope network that supports, and forms, an integral part of the sculpture. We developed custom software, implementing an “adaptive form-finding” algorithm to optimise the geometry and structure of this 3,200lb sculpture, which was part of an overall digital work-flow from concept through to fabrication. The structural ropes that support the sculpture also have a strong visual presence and their patterning was carefully developed with the artist. The artist also used custom software created by Autodesk to model and test design feasibility.
“"Engineering is at the very center of my process. I work closely with Arup at every stage of design. Our engineers help reveal design possibilities at the start, and ensure engineering integrity for the success of the installation. Each player becomes a craftsman whose responsibility is equally influential on the end result. Arup’s technical involvement enabled my vision for this monumental work — my most technically ambitious to date — to be achieved."Janet Echelman, artist
Created by knotting almost one million feet of braided fiber, the soft surfaces of the sculpture undulate, making every ripple of wind visible to the human eye. It appears lighter than air, yet is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 95mph. The pre-stressed net is made of Honeywell Spectra®, a synthetic fiber 15-times stronger than steel.
Highly collaborative, the engineers worked side-by-side with the fabricators and installers to ensure precision-point execution. This integrated collaboration enabled all pieces of the sculpture to come together seamlessly to create a presence in Vancouver that has been described by onlookers as ‘sublime and magical.’
Arup has previously collaborated with Studio Echelman on the full-scale mock up for a piece entitled “Impatient Optimist” at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters in Seattle; as well as on a temporary exhibition at the GLOW Festival in Santa Monica entitled “The Space Between Us.”