Client: Arts and Science Council Charlotte Mecklenberg, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Overview

MERIDIAN anchors the East and West Ends of the Charlotte International Airport Terminal lobby with a self-illuminating, algorithmically driven set of twin gateway sculptures.

The sculptures’ form traverses a layered ‘DNA’ of orbital spatial relationships, from the airport flight patterns globally to the arching pathways of the interior and exterior architectures. The cycle of departure and return is featured in the spiraling motion, accentuated by the dynamic movement of the programmable lighting moving through each sculpture, supporting reflections on the personal and collective ways we navigate the world.

MERIDIAN incorporates the first-of-its-kind LED embedded, perforated stainless steel pipe with multi-axis movements and a fluctuating spherical particulate pattern. Geo-Data coordinates based upon community members’ unique contributions have been spatially mapped within the sculpture’s LED integrated lighting, articulating movements across the sculptures to define a vision of how we come together to create community.

Laser Perforated Stainless Steel Tube, Bi-colored Stainless-Steel Spheres, Programmable LED lighting, custom hardware.
19’ L x 16’ W x 23’ H (Each)

Goals

Roney studio approached this project with the goal of developing an iconic, site-specific vision of discovery for the new terminal lobby expansion at CLT Airport.

Each sculpture functions as a gateway to the East and West End atrium bays, while framing skyline views to the East. MERIDIAN’s East/West juxtapositions also enable both sides of the form to be experienced from exterior vehicular and pedestrian corridors. These locations anchor the visitors’ experience, creating interior destinations and contributing to way finding strategies. Upper-level mezzanine views were designed to incorporate airy floating perspectives, while subterranean escalator and stair entrances reveal dynamic canopy views, emphasizing the kinetic nature of the viewer.

Process

The sculptures’ curvilinear multi-axis bent forms were designed to respond to the architectural gestures of the site, including the arching canopy roof, and iconic Queen Charlotte statue located on the center of the terminal lobby.

In an integrated approach to the artistic considerations, key engineering and fabrication optimizations were engaged to maintain the clarity within the circulations of movement in the sculptures, reminiscent of the airy nature of flight. To achieve the verticality and floating aesthetic, an internal cable tension strategy was developed to maintain the individual linear movements articulated through the perforated stainless-steel tube.

All the innovative concepts and solutions support a dynamic, time-based experience while simultaneously anchoring pedestrians’ sense of place and directionality.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Roney studio’s process also involved an extensive 2-year engagement process in which community participants were invited to contribute their geographical histories through a dedicated project microsite. Hundreds of individual participants data sets are traced across the sculptures’ embedded LED system, each contributing to an emblematic vision for the Airport's 53 million annual visitors.