sway

Colossal robotic sculpture

Four prismatic towers stand in a square ring, undulating inwards and outwards via hydraulic mechanisms. Each tower is 30-ft tall, has 3 vertical segments and 3 flexible joints, and is individually controlled at 40 degrees of movement. The structural steel armature is covered with geometric laser-cut aluminum panels in intricate tapered shapes over diffusion plastic with 10,000 LEDs within the structure. The outer aluminum panels display a filigree of geometric intertwined shapes influenced by Islamic art that will dazzle the mind.

SWAY is created from laser-cut steel, stands 30' tall, surrounded by a 32' long x 32' wide, 6' tall intricately cut dimension wall. Spotlights at the tip of each tower translate the movements into the sky for all to see from afar. This year, the towers have been redesigned and are larger and bolder, powder-coated candy apple red. Each tower with its three joints comes to life and dances in the air using 12 hydraulic rams.

INTERACTIVITY

We have created an amazing artistically designed controller, a miniature version of the entire SWAY sculpture. Participants can control and live drive the art to move the various jointed towers from this mini-version! The model moves the monumental work of art's towers in real time. Moving the controller's arms will simultaneously be mimicked in the monumental piece. The model can also be posed and submitted to the piece by hitting 'go'; then, the art will assume that shape.

Complex light patterns will dance between the towers and the base. Intricate custom lighting spins around the outside base panels and morphs into the body. The lights will react to the movement of the arms sliding seamlessly between the towers and the base. The entire work of art will be mapped in 3D space, and the lights will be choreographed to highlight the movements of the towers in billions of colors. So, when participants control the movements of the sculpture, they control the lighting effects, too.