Art & Sculpture

Artesia

May 12, 2017/in Art & Sculpture, Landscape Architecture Residential Mexico, Mexico City Hendrix + Studio, Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos Jan Hendrix M 2014 /by cmorris

Artesia Campos Eliseos

Artesia is a luxury residential complex in Mexico City which runs along the Campos Eliseos boulevard in Polanco. The residence’s ground levels feature permanent artworks by Jan Hendrix which were manufactured by Zahner. Working with Hendrix+Studio, the team developed a concept which fits into the overall architectural vision by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos.

The artwork by Hendrix is a permanent art installation made up of a series of massive perforated columns. Each column is made using mirror-polish aluminum, perforated to exacting standards based on the illustrated drawings by Hendrix+Studio. The aluminum plates were perforated using a mill process and connected using with custom-joinery. The forms are further polished to achieve a uniform mirror finish.

Related Project

Patio de las Jacarandas

Patio de Las Jacarandas is a Jan Hendrix and Hendrix Studio-designed work of public art in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The project's metal canopy was developed and fabricated by Zahner in water-jet cut aluminum.

Detail of the aluminum forms at the Artesia residential complex.

Perforated aluminum columns adorn the entrance of Artesia.

Zahner fabrication of the perforated aluminum column forms in Kansas City.

Museum of the Bible

March 3, 2017/in Art & Sculpture, Exterior Architecture Museum Washington D.C. SmithGroup Larry Kirkland Brown M 2017 /by cmorris

Artist Larry Kirkland, known for his large-scale public art, was commissioned to create the entrance portals that greet each visitor to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. Kirkland selected Zahner to help bring his artistic vision to reality.

At nearly 40 feet high, the massive portals are the largest of their kind in the world. The finalized design contains the first 80 lines of Genesis written in Latin, as originally printed in the Gutenberg Bible, but milled in reverse, to mimic the orientation of printing plates.

The amount of master craftsmanship and hand work applied throughout the process achieves a special artisan touch that no machine alone could ever produce. As viewers pass by, surface tones and colors will change in a dynamic process, just as Gutenberg’s illuminated Bibles do to this day.

Detail: Single line of milled text on bronze plate.

Development & Fabrication Process

Zahner engineers collaborated closely with Kirkland to ensure the artist’s intent remained intact throughout the design and fabrication process. Involving analytical, machine and master hand work, the bronze panels were created in a detailed, time consuming process, spanning two and a half years from concept to completion.

Process mock-up from raw bronze material (left) to final patinated surface (right).

Zahner engineers translated Kirkland’s 2D drawings into 3D geometry, approximating the design elements of Gutenberg’s original cast letters. The typeface is a traditional Blackletter style. The 3D geometry was used to generate tool paths directly to a CNC Vertical Bridge Mill machine. The machine carved each line of text from solid one-inch brass panels (the marginalia and border plates from ½ inch solid brass), often taking eight hours or more per piece to complete. The brass alloy of copper and zinc was specially formulated in Germany, and all waste material from the plates’ creation was recycled.

Finalized portal sections prior to site shipping.

In keeping with the original Gutenberg inspiration, vertical lines were etched into the text panels’ background referencing the lines produced from individual type blocks used in Gutenberg’s printing technique. Viewers may notice some combined letters, called monograms. Monograms join often used letter pairs, serving the tri-purpose of speeding up the typesetting process, economizing space and reducing cost. Instead of the traditional Western 26 letter alphabet, Gutenberg’s Bible contains over 250 letters, letter combinations, and punctuation marks. By creating often used combinations and duplications from the beginning, the printing process became much more fluid and fast. Close to 200 different letter forms, including variations on a single letter, punctuation, and combined letters can be seen on the portals.

Detail of raised lettering and final patina application.

The ten marginalia plates were similarly produced but instead of text, showcase illustrations. Marginalia is a term used for decorative artwork placed in the margins of a book. Upon purchase of a Gutenberg bible, the new owner would hire an illustrator to illuminate the blank border spaces and/or create highly decorative capital letters. These illuminations often referred to subjects within the text or might be something specifically requested by the owner. The Museum portal marginalia was inspired by William Morris, the famed Arts and Crafts design master, and was illustrated by Rob Wood of Wood Ronsaville Harlin.

Bronze panels prior to patina application.

Once the bridge mill carving was complete, a needle hammer background was carefully hand produced to mimic the texture of a sand mold, the technique by which Gutenberg cast his original moveable letters. The final step of panel completion involved application of a custom formulated patina, lacquered to mitigate environmental changes over time.

A Zahner craftsman applies a needle finish to a panel background.

Additional project scope included the addition of an aluminum ImageWall system, a Zahner patented process to create perforated imagery in metal, installed in the entry vestibule. The perforated design mimics that of the portal marginalia, ensuring aesthetic consistency from exterior to interior.

Installation of an ImageWall custom perforated panel system, a Zahner patented process.

Facts of Note

The panels are the largest of their kind in the world.
Material: 1-inch thick brass; zinc and copper alloy specifically formulated in Germany.
Height: 37 feet, 6 1/4 inches
Width: 43 feet in their entirety
Weight: 7 tons and 9 tons, respectively, not including the steel sub-structure that supports the plates.
Finish on Plates: Custom patina with protective acrylic resin coating

Starlight Donor’s Circle

January 11, 2017/in Art & Sculpture Performance Center, Public Art Kansas City Gastinger Walker Harden Dierk Van Keppel Gold, Silver S 2007 /by cmorris

Donor’s Circle at Starlight Theatre

In 2007, the Starlight Theatre added a Donor’s Circle designed with local glass artist Dierk Van Keppel. The Donor’s Circle for the Starlight Theater features stainless steel, glass and lighting elements in both the ceiling and floor of the outdoor patio.

Zahner engineers and artisans worked with Gastinger Walker Harden, with Bob Rohlf and the Starlight Theatre Association of Kansas City to engineer, fabricate, and install the artwork. The surface features glass cast by local Kansas City artist Dierk Van Keppel.

Related Project

Starlight Theater

In the late 1990s, they theatre company recognized a need to fortify For the Theatre's centennial, a new building was completed to improve that quality of productions which could be performed at Starlight. In 2000, Zahner was responsible for manufacturing the new roof system for the amphitheater. Named the Jeannette and Jerome Cohen Community Stage, the new stage also included a roof for Starlight theatre, and increased its technical capability, making it one of the largest roadhouses in the country.

Zahner manufactured the stainless steel memorial ceiling pieces as well as the inset floor and framework for the glass floor system. The stainless steel and floor medallions are etched with the inscription of “Anita B. Gordon Honorary Court”.

Detail of the metal ceiling system made for the Starlight Theatre Donor's Circle

Starlight Theatre Donor's Circle, featuring inset glass with floor and ceiling metalwork.

The metal base for the inset glass at Zahner HQ in Kansas City

Memorial ceiling before peeling the protective film from the stainless steel

Livermore Outlets

January 4, 2017/in Art & Sculpture, Exterior Architecture Retail & Commerce San Francisco Bay FCGA Architecture Brown, Gold S 2015 /by cmorris

ImageWall system, for San Francisco Premium Outlets®

In 2015, Zahner provided the San Francisco Premium Outlets with a perforated metal artwall, installed in an outdoor area of the public mall development. Gates + Associates provided the landscape design for the entire development’s expansion, adding 185,000 SF to the project. This addition makes the project the largest outlet mall in the state of California.

Gates + Associates worked with Zahner’s ImageWall team to develop the artwall, which was shipped and installed by the architect’s contractor. The design is rolling landscape which depicts the surrounding area’s vineyards. Manufactured in Dirty Penny copper, the patina will continue to weather and grow in its depth over time. Since the copper patina is exposed to the outdoors, the oxidization will eventually turn dark brown, and then after a few decades, will become green.

The San Francisco Premium Outlets is Located in Livermore, California, the campus is part of the greater San Francisco region, and is located amongst some of California’s oldest vineyards. The development is state’s largest outdoor outlet shopping mall, and includes high end brand stores atypical of outlet malls, including Prada, Gucci, and Coach. The addition brought a number of new arrivals, including Versace, Jimmy Choo, Tory Burch, Rag & Bone, and Dsquared.

PHOTO © A. ZAHNER COMPANY.

Afternoon light cuts across the copper surface of the Livermore artwork.

Hyatt Regency Houston

January 4, 2017/in Art & Sculpture Hospitality, Public Art, Sculpture, Urban Design Houston--Texas Gensler Brown M 2015 /by cmorris

Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston, Texas

The Hyatt Regency Houston is a new hotel development designed by Gensler which includes several features made using Zahner engineering and fabrication. Among the features provided by Zahner: a massive art wall at the building’s porte-cochère, steel signage at its entrance, and a series of interior lobby partition walls screen dividers manufactured in Solanum Steel.

These architectural details are part of the new 260,000-square-foot, 14-story Hyatt Regency Hotel. Located next to the Houston Galleria, the new construction builds on an existing two-story retail building which was partially demolished and integrated into the new design.

Related Surface

Hyatt Regency Houston

Art wall, fabricated in Solanum Steel and aluminum, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.

The Hyatt River Art Wall

The artist team responsible for developing the art wall Lester Yuen, Michael Gajevsky and Nancy Nodler. Yuen worked closely with L. William Zahner to develop the artwork, using polished aluminum plate to show a topographical section of the Buffalo Bayou river in Houston, Texas.

The artwork is located under the covered driveway entrance for the hotel. The base layers of the artwork are made using plate aluminum and clad in a final layer of weathering steel with a preweathered finish. Each plate was cut using automated CNC machinery at Zahner. These have a polished edge and are secured below the final layer of Solanum Steel.

Gensler partnered with Zahner’s Design Assist team at the project’s inception to ensure that the project could be developed within the client’s budget. In addition to reducing the overall cost, this process also improved the end quality of the details.

Art wall sections are manufactured in the Zahner shop facility.

Art wall at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.

Detail of the steel and aluminum connection.

Interior steel partition walls made in preweathered steel.

Zahner-manufactured interior screen wall dividers at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.

Details of the joints for the art wall at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Houston.

Detail of the Hyatt River Regency art wall joints.

Light reflects against the aluminum artwork.

Structural Evolution

January 4, 2017/in Art & Sculpture Sculpture Lawrence--Kansas Perry May S 2015 /by cmorris

STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION AT UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS ENGINEERING SCHOOL

A twisting double helix—measuring 35′ long, 8′ wide, and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds—adorns the atrium at The University of Kansas’ (KU) new engineering building in Lawrence, Kansas. The artwork, entitled “Structural Evolution,” is a competition-winning feat of engineering designed by KU student Perry May. It was chosen through a juried selection co-sponsored by KU and Zahner. Zahner engineered, fabricated, and installed the winning artwork, which joins a rich oeuvre of custom fabricated artworks made with Zahner engineering and manufacturing.

When May first presented his model to the jury, the application pool was large and varied. To get as many diverse ideas as possible, The University opened the competition to the entire student body. The University wanted to fill the two-story atrium with an inspiring work of art that would evoke the spirit of the engineering department.

Related Project

DeBruce Center: Rules of Basketball

The building complex was developed around a single piece of basketball history. The original Rules of Basketball, written in 1891 by James Naismith (the inventor of basketball and founder of the KU basketball program) were purchased and donated to the school, and have found their permanent home at DeBruce Center, a new facility adjoining the northeast corner of Allen Fieldhouse at KU.

The selected sculpture was chosen for its complex geometry and conceptual hearkening to growth. May describes his concept:

“[Its] an abstraction of DNA structure, embodying the spirit of growth and innovation within the KU School of Engineering. Its aesthetic became informed by fabrication methods and materials: ‘How do I shape sheet metal, what can a mill do, and how can I use this to create and inform the work?’”

“Structural Evolution” at The University of Kansas.

Engineering the Sculpture

The business model at Zahner is set up to enable collaborative dialogue (See: Design Assist). Allowing the fabrication method to help inform the aesthetic of the piece opened the door for collaboration between Zahner engineers and the artist. This meant that the original design by the artist could be developed and explored

For this project, ¼” aluminum plate was used throughout the sculpture. The plate material accommodates the voids in the cutout areas. Zahner owns and operates a number of machines that can be used for cutting patterns from metal. Each machine possesses its own unique capabilities. Zahner is able to communicate with designers on the strengths and limitations of each process in order to help designers make informed decisions.

A three-axis mill was selected to produce the desired aesthetic for this particular piece. The mill uses rotary cutters to remove metal in designated open areas, leaving a shiny, polished edge. The panels were then rolled to the specified radius and matched up to one another on-site, creating the illusion of a seamless helix rolling in midair.

Designing a Hanging Suspension System

The artwork’s immense weight and complex shape required careful engineering to balance the work correctly. Eight unique panels, each roughly 4′ x 10′ in size, were design-engineered to precisely interlock with one another. The pieces also needed to be suspended individually using two cables, and anchored to the ceiling. This was complex, as the atrium layout included a floating ceiling that could not structurally bear the weight of the artwork.

Zahner’s engineers developed a plan to disguise the cables through the seams in the floating ceiling and attach to structural beams. There were limited spots where the cables could attach. Each panel needed to hang at exactly the correct angle in order to match up to other panels. Zahner solved for static equilibrium, providing a structurally sound suspension method.

The sculpture has a variable radius; one end is larger, and the opposite end tapers while twisting subtly. Each panel had at least two radii, and it transitioned between the two. Utilizing a 3D model of the atrium and the sculpture, Zahner’s engineers determined the locations for the cables. To translate these calculations from their exact location on the digital model to real space, Zahner engineers adapted the concept of computer coordinates to real-life space. A grid was laid out using the physical space; then a laser level was used to translate that grid to the ceiling for the layout of the cables. This accounted for any marginal shift in geometry that may have occurred during the physical construction of the space. Once the locations of the cables were determined, the installation could run smoothly and according to plan.

Film protects the disassembled plate aluminum from minor scratches and fingerprints

Zahner installers hang the panels using the cable system.

ZAHNER AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

After the fabrication of his work at Zahner, May became an intern at Zahner. One of the reasons Zahner sponsors competitions like this, is to develop relationships with the upcoming generation of creative young professionals. Zahner is committed to hearing fresh new voices and ideas. Being involved in the work by university students offers a unique glimpse into the future of art and design.

Students are part of an environment that is immersed in learning, creation, and reinvention. Whether it’s hosting a competition to fabricate student work, bringing in a tour of Zahner facilities, or presenting to a class, Zahner is committed to the upcoming generation of professionals. Theirs are the voices that will continue to drive innovation and look for new ways to solve problems. Contact us today for more information on how students can get involved at Zahner.

Quill

December 30, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Private Art, Sculpture Fayette--Iowa Steven Woodward Blue, Brown, Green M 1995 /by cmorris

Quill Artwork in Fayette, Iowa

Quill is a Steven Woodward artwork which was commissioned by Upper Iowa University and features Zahner art fabrication services. The 15-foot-wide sculpture was crafted in stainless steel, copper and aluminum. The artwork was inspired by the devastating tornado that hit campus in 1971, altering much of the terrain. As such, the artwork’s form takes on that of a cyclone, and is patinated to complement the nearby campus Green Goddess statue.

Quill is the second sculptural collaboration between Zahner and Woodward. The first collaboration, Books of Knowledge, is located at the University of Minnesota.

Related Project

Book Forms

Woodward worked closely with A. Zahner Company to manufacture the two massive metal book sculptures from copper, stainless steel, and weathering steel.

Echo Dynamics

December 30, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Passive Security, Sculpture Little Rock--Arkansas Mikyoung Kim Silver L 2007 /by cmorris

ECHO DYNAMICs Public Art at Little Rock Courthouse

Echo Dynamics is a public artwork and water feature designed by Mikyoung Kim and manufactured with Zahner fabrication. The artwork is in front of the Federal Courthouse for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court.

Mikyoung Kim Design introduced a concept which would provide a unique aesthetic to the building’s entrance, while also solving a security concern for the building. The artwork is both a fountain and a planter which protects the building using passive security from the street face of the park. Zahner worked with Mikyoung Kim to develop the concept as a stainless steel fountain, providing coordination with structural engineer, fountain consultant and mechanical contractor.

The green space provides a refuge from the urban downtown and the sculpture offers an invitation to pedestrians to utilize this place. Made using 14ga and 16ga stainless steel, the horizontal fountain allows water to flow through a series of descending troughs. Zahner supplied the welded coupling connection to mechanical plumbing as specified by Dan Euser Water Architecture.

Related Project

Arkansas House

The residential project's interior wood and metal surfaces act as an interior liner to the building's rough-to-the-touch Solanum Steel exterior architectural monitors. Flooring of rift-sawn cherry and walnut also act to form an interior liner. Taut and highly crafted, this refined surface acts as an interior liner to the exterior monitors clad in weathering steel shingles.

Catalyst Sculpture

December 30, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Kinetic Art, Public Art, Sculpture Kansas City Matthew Dehaemers M 2008 /by cmorris

Catalyst: Kinetic Public Art in Kansas City

Catalyst is a kinetic sculpture in Kansas City by artist Matthew Dehaemers, engineered and produced using Zahner art fabrication services. Located at the intersection of of 31st Street and Troost Avenue, this public artwork was completed in 2010 for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.

Zahner engineers and artisans worked closely with Dehaemers to engineer, fabricate, and install the artwork. As a kinetic sculpture, the design included moving parts which were modeled digitally by Zahner engineers and the in-house design team. Zahner crafted the sculpture from galvanized steel, laser-etched stainless steel, and aluminum.

The sculpture’s form is inspired by the root of the Dutch word “Troost,” which means to “provide comfort, solace.” Its location on Troost Avenue is further informed by the diverse cultural perspectives of the area. Catalyst represents the past, present, and future of the street corner, which once served as the hub of Kansas City life in the early 20th century. Catalyst was Matt Dehaemers’ second collaboration with Zahner. His first collaboration was completed in 2008 and entitled Seven Sentinels.

Catalyst sculpture in aluminum, galvanized, stainless steel; custom engineering and fabrication for kinetic sculpture.

Catalyst sculpture looping video of its kinetic motion.

Metal fabricated landscape design for the Catalyst sculpture in Kansas City.

“My hope is for “Catalyst” to mean different things to different people as local citizens become stewards of Catalyst and the Troost corridor it represents … The form of sculpture for some may represent the form of a tree, or the abstraction of a spark of light or even yet the dawn of a new day as a sun unfolds its rays of light.” – Matthew Dehaemers

The 30-foot-tall structure stands above the MAX bus stop acting as an artful signal for the arrival and departure of the MAX transits. From far you can see that a bus has just left, or is currently arriving.

Kansas City hybrid buses traveling southbound will trigger Catalyst to unfold its wing-like arm structures. Approximately a minute or two later the arms fold back up awaiting to repeat the gesture minutes later for the next bus. LED lights have been installed and cast brilliant ever changing light across the surface of the structure during the night time, hitting the entire spectrum of color.

Seven Sentinels

December 30, 2016/in Art & Sculpture Kinetic Art, Public Art, Sculpture Kansas City Matthew Dehaemers L, M 2008 /by cmorris

Seven Sentinels artwork in Kansas City

Seven Sentinels is a kinetic artwork and permanent public installation by Matt Dehaemers. Zahner provided engineering, art fabrication, installation for the public artwork, located in Kansas City, Missouri.

The installation consists of seven equidistant, elongated and oversized parking gates. These were manufactured several times the height of a standard parking gate. Each of the seven pieces were engineered to individually automatically open as a kinetic sculpture. As visitors exit the facility, each parking gate rises to salute drivers leaving the New Municipal Vehicle Impound Tow Lot Facility.

Looping animation of the Nerman Museum kinetic light display by artist Leo Villareal.

The moving lights at the Nerman Museum

Learn more about the artwork Microcosm at the Nerman Museum in Overland Park, Kansas.

Seven Sentinels kinetic sculpture made in galvanized steel. Each of the parking gate sculptures salute exiting drivers.

Detail of the kinetic sculpture Seven Sentinels, a public artwork by Matthew Dehaemers.

Seven Sentinels kinetic sculpture. Each of the parking gate sculptures salute exiting drivers.

Related Project

Catalyst Sculpture

The parking gates were each crafted from powder-coated aluminum and galvanized steel. The sculptures react to incoming traffic, lifting their gates as cars pass underneath. The kinetic movement is a reference to soldiers performing a sword ceremony, and as such shows respect to vehicles exiting the lot. Seven Sentinels was completed in 2008. It is the first public artwork collaboration between Dehaemers and Zahner. Dehaemers’ second collaboration with Zahner, Catalyst, was completed in 2010 and stands at the intersection of 31st Street and Troost in Kansas City.

Each gate tower is 16 feet tall and the each gate is 12 feet long. The towers are placed 30 feet apart for a total of 180 feet from end to end. The artwork is made in galvanized steel, with powder-coated aluminum gate bars, parking control mechanisms, concrete, and a surface-mounted loop detector to trigger the artwork’s kinetic movement.