Phoenix Blog

Courtesy of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, photo by Craig Smith

She's baaaaack...

Okay, folks. I'm going to blog about the Echelman piece. I know, I know...again????

I realize I've covered the ever living being out of this sculpture, but, I also feel I'm justified to give it just a liiiittle more attention.

This Friday, June 5th, put your thinking caps on for the "Civic Space Sculpture Engineering Forum" at the Burton Barr Central Library. There, starting at 6 p.m. will be an in-depth discussion about the design of the unique steel and net structure. To give the specs once again, the Echelman piece is a kinetic sculpture titled "Her Secret is Patience". It's made from a framework of steel rings, cables and poles. The netting hangs and twists from the rings to create a cyclone-like bulb that dangles 38 feet above the ground and reaches 100 feet in total height. Not to mention, the monumental work is 100 feet wide at the top.

The structure is supported by massive steel poles off to the side, rigged with heavy cables that allow it to float and move with the elements.

It all sounds pretty damn tricky to me.

That's probably why the forum will feature three speakers. Presentations by Kyle Peyton who led the CAID Industries team that engineered the sculpture, Allan Ortega of M-3 Engineering which designed the steel and cable supports and Ian Keough of Buro Happold which developed the netting's complex architecture will enlighten us to this complicated and exciting design process.

I expect a lot of the presentation will be Greek to me but I'm pumped for it anyway. I can't resist a good talk about the Echelman piece...or a blog, for that matter.

The "Civic Space Sculpture Engineering Forum" takes place June 5th at 6 p.m. at the Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave in Phoenix. Event is open to the public but RSVP's are requestions. Call 602-495-0185 or send an e-mail to raphael.ngotie@phoenix.gov.