LIVEDaybreak, UT - DayBreak Greenway Trail - Daybreak, UT
Painted Stainless with Interactive LED Lighting
17’H x 20’D
2022
The five native Prairie Coneflowers standing tall along DayBreak’s Greenway Trail are surrounded by snow-capped mountains when they light up the Utah sky at night. The Cadence public art project is integrated into the overall greenway space and is the distinguishing landmark where the community comes together for recreation, celebration and community. Kids and grown ups alike can run under, play around and explore artwork during the day - and at night with the interactive lights. The Cadence public art project celebrates the understanding of Utah’s biodiversity, raises awareness of the need for healthy ecosystems and the importance of the importance of our urban green spaces.
Wildflowers and pollinators are the metaphor for a healthy, alive Daybreak community. Wildflowers are incredibly important to our environment because they support entire ecosystems for pollinators, birds, and small animals on a micro-scale. Butterflies, other insects, small birds, and animals depend on seeds, nectar, and pollen for their food supply and life support system. Additionally, some pollinators are not very mobile or have very small home ranges; they may depend on just one species of plant and die once their habitat has been destroyed. The discovery of a wildflower in its native habitat can be one of the most beautiful experiences we can have with nature. Imagine a place where you can wander through, under and dance beneath, just one example of the incredible diversity of wildflowers in Utah.
Native plants have adapted to an amazing array of habitats and microclimates in the region, achieving a balance with other living things and forming the foundation for all life. Growing native plants adds beauty and important habitats for wildlife, especially for pollinators. Even a small backyard garden can make a big difference. Gardening connects us to nature and helps us better understand how nature works!
The guiding principle behind the design of this LED system is to welcome visitors by bringing to life an engaging, and cohesive creative lighting experience. This requires a lighting system that is flexible enough to address current needs and to adapt to future needs, especially as creative lighting becomes mainstream and more creativity and interaction becomes desirable. The goal is to design a system that will be organic and dynamic, delivering light with fluid motion that feels natural. The lights are designed to interact with the audience like fireflies in the summer sky.
Fabrication Process
Light Fixtures
The light fixtures were designed to represent the shape and texture of the” Ratibida Columnifera” center. The Latin name “columnifera” means “column,” referring to the prominent center of each blossom.
Fixture was initially hand sculpted of clay prior to being molded in a 4 part mold system. Then each globe was poured and cast in an exterior UV resistant resin.
The light fixtures were then fitted with a custom built LED lighting unit created to showcase a variety of lighting effects.
Each light fixture weighs around 17 pounds.
Flowers
Main structure of the flowers were designed in CAD with detailed components to fulfill engineering and structural integrity.
Each flower was designed around five different varieties of Coneflowers. All arranged and sized in a natural and organic cluster.
Each individual petal was hand cut and forged out of 6061 Aluminum sheet material.
Flower stems were hand bent to create the vertical movement and positioning of each individual flower and their view point.
There is approximately 300 square feet of Aluminum plate and sheet material used in the fabrication of the flowers around 90 feet of tubing in the stems.
All the petals and stems are hand painted using a 3 part Urethane Enamel Automotive paint.
Each individual flower weighs under 100 pounds