Corona - Discovery Building, Biocity - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member SMacB
N 52° 57.070 W 001° 08.299
30U E 625072 N 5868459
The Corona consists of a series of anodised aluminium rods and fibre optic lights which change colour and intensity to reflect real time changes in sun flare activity. It is linked to live feeds from NASA satellites monitoring the surface of the sun.
Waymark Code: WMXCQX
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/28/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Max and 99
Views: 0
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The Corona, conceived by renowned local artist and sculptor Wolfgang Buttress, consists of a series of anodised aluminium rods and fibre optic lights, suspended on the façade of the new biosciences building, which change colour and intensity to reflect real time changes in sun flare activity. The display is linked to live feeds from NASA satellites monitoring the surface of the sun.

"Facts -

Location Client Cost Completion
Nottingham Sheetfabs £60,000 facade lighting only April 2017

Project details -

Titled ‘Corona’, meaning a coloured halo or an electrical glow, the artwork was created by Nottingham artist Wolfgang Buttress in association with BDP Lighting, using scientific research conducted by Dr Martin Bencsik, physicist from Nottingham Trent University. The lighting design creates a perpetually fluctuating, shimmering lit effect which animates the building’s façade at night.

Wolfgang Buttress describes the artwork:
“The facade lighting is linked to two NASA satellites monitoring the surface of the sun for solar flare activity; the Corona sculpture expresses this energy through an ever-changing fibre optic lighting system, reflecting the sun’s activity in real time on the facade of the building. Colours evolve and transform over a 26½ day period – the time it takes the sun to rotate on its axis. The profile of the aluminium extrusions are informed by the negative spaces from lace samples contained within the Nottingham Trent University lace archive

The installation covers a 50m x 17m area of the façade with 1160 aluminium extrusions. In amongst the extrusions are woven fibre optic tails which change colour according to the NASA data. The artwork also acts as a brise soleil to provide solar shading to increase the building performance and enhance comfort for the users.

"The sculpture has science at its heart and directly responds to the intensity and location of solar flares emanating from the surface of the sun which will manifest through the ebb, flow and intensity of the illumination.

Matt Greenhalgh project architect

Brief

  • a ‘living sculpture’ which improves the energy efficiency of the building by day and by night

Results

  • the BREEAM Excellent brise soleil sculpture not only improves the building’s energy efficiency, but also lights the exterior through a ‘curtain’ formed from aluminium poles, creating a new landmark for the city"

SOURCE - (Visit Link)

BioCity Discovery Building with Corona display - 360 Video - (Visit Link)

Title of Piece: Corona

Artist: Wolfgang Buttress in association with BDP Lighting

Material/Media: aluminium

Date of Creation or Placement: April 2017

Location (specific park, transit center, library, etc.): Discovery Building, BioCity Nottingham

Web link(s) to YouTube or other video: [Web Link]

Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed
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