Codes - CODAworx

Client: Flagler Banyan Square

Location: West Palm Beach, FL, United States

Completion date: 2019

Artwork budget: $700,000

Project Team

Artist

Joe O'Connell

Creative Machines

Design and Fabrication

Creative Machines

Creative Machines

Overview

“Codes” is made of glass spheres in colors reminiscent of mid-century art glass and beach glass. The delicate spheres are set into stainless steel forms to create the eastern ā€˜wallā€™ of the outdoor room forming a porous boundary that people can walk through, yet feel a sense of enclosure. The sculptures take on human qualities as they congregate in groups, almost as if they are engaged in conversation. Upon observation, distinct personalities are revealed. The number of spheres can be deciphered to reveal a secret message.

Goals

"Codes" was created to be something beautiful to look at, as well as provide a mental exercise. The series spells out a message as you go north to south. Some pairs of codes may appear to be roughly the same north-south distance along Flagler but whichever part is northernmost counts. Each code has a number between 1 and 26 encoded in it, and that number stands for a letter in the alphabet. Each code has a long leg and a short leg. There are small, medium, and large spheres. The number of medium spheres (of any color) in the long leg counts for 10 and the number of medium spheres (of any color) in the short leg counts as 1.

Additional Information

The sculpture series covers 90ā€™ x 15ā€™ - Individual panels vary. Materials include stainless steel, etched glass spheres, LED lighting, and custom electronics.