Chasing the Stars - CODAworx

Chasing the Stars

Client

Location: Goodyear, AZ, United States

Completion date: 2021

Project Team

Artistic Director

Joseph O'Connell

Creative Machines

Design & Fabrication firm

Creative Machines

Creative Machines

Overview

In the spirit of Joe O’Connell and Creative Machines’ playful culture and ambitious reach, we have designed and fabricated a monumental, kinetic sculpture that is powered by both wind and human interaction. The form of the sculpture sweeps through space, reaching upward to grasp and gather the universe into its arms. The Sculpture’s mandate is to invite curiosity and physical engagement; the audience is then rewarded with a magical, interactive experience of motion, light, and color.

While both iconic and engaging, Chasing the Stars is designed to be a landmark feature that upholds innovation and contributes to a dynamic public environment. Chasing the Stars is the culmination of refined geometries, physics, material, technology, and human interaction. It draws inspiration from simple yet powerful machines such as sailing vessels, catapults, and windmills.

On breezy days, the six arms of the sculpture revolve on a linked axis, transferring angular momentum between one another. Should the day be calm, viewers may initiate kinetic action by pulling on the tethers at the base of the sculpture; this will set the kinetic arms in motion. Like tolling a heavy bell, the audience may pull the tethers several times to create ever-more dynamic results. During the day, the sun casts

Goals

In the spirit of Joe O'Connell and Creative Machines' playful culture and ambitious reach, we have designed and fabricated a monumental, kinetic sculpture that is powered by both wind and human interaction. The form of the sculpture sweeps through space, reaching upward to grasp and gather the universe into its arms. The Sculpture's mandate is to invite curiosity and physical engagement; the audience is then rewarded with a magical, interactive experience of motion, light, and color.



While both iconic and engaging, Chasing the Stars is designed to be a landmark feature that upholds innovation and contributes to a dynamic public environment. Chasing the Stars is the culmination of refined geometries, physics, material, technology, and human interaction. It draws inspiration from simple yet powerful machines such as sailing vessels, catapults, and windmills.



On breezy days, the six arms of the sculpture revolve on a linked axis, transferring angular momentum between one another. Should the day be calm, viewers may initiate kinetic action by pulling on the tethers at the base of the sculpture; this will set the kinetic arms in motion. Like tolling a heavy bell, the audience may pull the tethers several times to create ever-more dynamic results. During the day, the sun casts