The Aurora Installation

As part of an exhibition at the National Academy Museum and School titled Revealing Architecture, the Aurora was designed as an abstraction of FXFOWLE’s recent work. As an object hanging in a circular space, the Aurora aims to decentralize the room, creating space for passage, mingling, and rest. The Aurora is conceptualized as a Mobius strip which is defined by its continuous interweaving wood frame and the fins spanning between itself. The frame, when unrolled is over 80 feet long, was CNC milled by a custom handrail manufacturer allowing each bend and straight section to be unique. Spanning between the frame, wire cables support 127 paper fins. The fins, which are also each unique, were laser cut from 4-ply museum board and laminated together during the folding process to ensure strength. The sculpture, which is also structure, produces an overlap in artistic vision and engineering. Various simulations were produced to better understand how the sculpture would react to real forces including people.

Assisted in the design and construction while a Junior Designer at FXFOWLE in New York City.