A house is a machine for living in - Le Corbusier
In this 3 foot tall kinetic sculpture, I explored the beauty of a skyscraper if stripped of it’s facade. Symbolically represented are all of the major functions such as a mechanical penthouse, circulation, mass damper, etc. I created an identity and appeal even without typical “architectural” coverings. Awards: Octagon Art Show
Powered by the 1 1/2” chrome plated steel balls, you can see how the “people” of this skyscraper are using the circulation patterns and how they handle the restriction points.
Much like a mechanical penthouse, all of the functions and controls are dispersed from this area. An escapement is used to keep everything in time. -Note the square gears.
The waiting of a lobby is represented by the timed rhythmical movement of the counterweight mass.
Some very unique design challenges came from this piece. I needed the machine to reload itself by having the ball baskets rewound to the top. This challenging, yet rewarding, design problem was solved using an internally ratcheted planetary gear system. I designed and built everything in this sculpture.
