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2008 Central States Design Excellence Awards
Power and Light
This project is not a bridge for people, nor a bridge for cars. Functioning as a link between the crossroads art district and the entertainment district, it is a utilitarian bridge to house power lines; a simple truss, clad in black zinc.
The cladding, through bumps and perforations, tells the story of its simple function – to house electricity. Taking inspiration from the 3 phases of power, sine waves are repented by 2 arcing movements of perforations on the zinc cladding, each one telling the motion of power. The third wave is represented through form, giving the skin undulations and shadows. The cladding was punched with small bumps, representing the field of electrons which electricity requires for movement.
Like electricity, the bridge becomes more noticeable at night. By day it lies dormant, with little impact on the surroundings. Lit internally with LEDs, the bridge pulses to the north, identical to the electricity held inside.