Client: The College Park Airport and Aviation Museum and the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Overview

Jet Stream is a 96-foot-long installation in aluminum located at the historic College Park Airport in College Park, Maryland. It falls into the Sirvet Studios River-series of wall mounted works, but was adapted to resemble the atmospheric Jet Stream due to the Jet streams significance in aviation.

The ability to create a wall sculpture that could be viewed from both back and front was exciting to us. That feature in many ways turns a two-dimensional artwork into a three-dimensional work. Our work typically plays with shadow and negative space, so this piece fits nicely in my catalog.

Goals

The intent of this artwork was to link, both literally and figuratively, the airport to the aviation museum which are both at the site and are connected by the cover walkway were this 96-foot installation was placed. Atmospheric jet streams are phenomena that must be dealt with in aviation on a technical level in everyday operations, and there is a plaque to allow for a teaching moment regarding jets streams at the museum from which one can view the artwork.

Process

Jet Streams individual panels were designed on CAD software to fit precisely with the in situ steel columns and beams they would be mounted to. Once designed, the panels were CNC cut and deburred. Installation was carried out by our team using standoff hardware so the individual panels would float two inches off of the steel columns and beams.