Client: 40 West Arts District in Lakewood Colorado

Overview

Whee is a kinetic, outdoor sculpture made of stainless steel and dichroic acrylic. Ascending the helix is a botanical mandala that represents growth. On top is an icosahedron. Overall, the message of the sculpture is that by coming together as a community, we can grow and ascend together. Most importantly, sometimes you have to take chances in order to grow. Whee has a diameter of 15′ and a height of 15′. People can easily spin the sculpture using the wheel on the column and it also moves in the wind. When the sun shines through it, Whee projects color on the ground. Depending on the position of the viewer as well as the ratio of sunshine to clouds, the sculpture takes on different visual appearances.

Goals

The goal of this project was to create a kinetic sculpture that was beautiful, interactive, dynamic, and experiential. Whee is placed in a seniors only community, so the object while large had to be easy to move by older people and children alike.