Client: Rob Ley

Overview

Indianapolis Fabrications (iFab) has built the largest art work in Indianapolis, “May/September” designed by Rob Ley for the New Wishard Hospital. This 13,000 sq ft artwork was managed and built by iFab from design development to installation. It is made of over 6200 painted aluminum flaps, custom aluminum extrusions, structural aluminum parts and over 20,000 stainless steel fasteners.

Goals

From Rob Ley: "This project began with an interest in challenging the typical notion of the parking structure as an unappreciated infrastructural typology by transforming the new Eskenazi Hospital parking structure into an interactive, synthetic terrain. A field of 7,000 angled metal panels in conjunction with an articulated east/west color strategy creates a dynamic façade system that offers observers a unique visual experience depending on their vantage point and the pace at which they are moving through the site. In this way, pedestrians and slow moving vehicles within close proximity to the hospital will experience a noticeable, dappled shift in color and transparency as they move across the hospital grounds, while motorists driving along W. Michigan Street will experience a faster, gradient color shift which changes depending on their direction of travel."

Process

iFab worked closely with artist Rob Ley to ensure his vision was represented in the final product.To assure fit, the existing construction was 3D scanned during development and coordinated with the CAD plans for the project. Each structural aluminum spandreI has unique sized brackets and bracket locations for a flawless installation.