Data Delta Sculpture
Wexford Aggie Square
Sacramento, CA
Role: Design Lead
Wexford Aggie Square
Sacramento, CA
Role: Design Lead
Team: SPMD
Project Management: Najat Hassan, Creative Direction: Louise Mackie
Design Direction: Jean Colangel, 3D Design: Binh Nguyen, Clinton Olajide Jr., Production Support: Zach Schmid, Design Engineering: Carl Burdick, Fabrication: Scott Chamberlain
Project Management: Najat Hassan, Creative Direction: Louise Mackie
Design Direction: Jean Colangel, 3D Design: Binh Nguyen, Clinton Olajide Jr., Production Support: Zach Schmid, Design Engineering: Carl Burdick, Fabrication: Scott Chamberlain
Where?
ZGF and Wexford Science + Technology partnered with the University of California, Davis to design and build a hub adjacent to the Sacramento medical campus where higher education, industry, and government can come together for the betterment of the community. The result is Aggie Square: an innovation district and ecosystem where companies, researchers, students, and faculty work side-by-side with the common goal of accelerating discovery.
What?
Our team was brought in alongside ZGF Architects to strategize Wexford’s art experience. The objective was to create intentional moments of impact that connect the local Sacramento landscape and culture with the innovation of the students and scientists on campus. My role was in determining art locations, conceptualizing and leading the design and fabrication of the lobby’s hero sculpture, and serving on the Sacramento Arts Commission to select local artists for murals throughout the space.
The design of the lobby’s hero sculpture, Data Delta, honors the convergence of the Sacramento River and its surrounding landscape–a constant flow of change. The polycarbonate forms are derived from the area’s topography, and the spray-painted color maps the local land use. Woven seed patterns of agricultural data are stencil-painted through the gradient. Strategically placed spines on each panel juxtapose the fluidity and geometry of the land and ensure the panels do not warp over time.
Suspended metal droplets quantify the rivers and tributaries of the region and create an ascent between the first and second floors. The path of the river itself weaves through the panels as the reflective centerpiece for Data Delta.
How?
Through a robust R&D phase, I led the collaboration with the printers, fabricators, and mural operations department to execute the conceptual design intent. The first iteration of the sculpture hypothesized if print could be used to execute clean gradients at cost. After rounds of sampling, we determined a painted approach would offer a more vibrant color execution and stronger human touch. Process imagery incoming!