© NELE STRÖBEL

art and engineering

Thematic column 2

vogelwolke (cloud of birds)

The dynamic geometry of this work was inspired by formations of flying birds in the historic Bogenhausen city hall garden. Its 37 pieces are hung in the building as an 8.28 m spiral at a 67.5° angle to the room. The twelve groups of parts and 42-cm, sun-shaped centerpiece were digitalized and cut from an aluminum disk 2.30 m in diameter and 2 cm thick using water jet technology. Depending on where the observer stands, vogelwolke appears to be either a disk or a line.

1. Development of a 3D design for the competition based on an analog CAD design.
2. Static inspection of mounting points for artwork, including structural planning and cable technology.
3. 3D execution and detailed planning.
4. Output of digital planning data needed by manufacturing group for measuring mounting points, cables, and water jet cutting.

händels' locke / eine Klangwolke für Halle (Handel's curls / a cloud of sound for Halle)

Inspired by the expressive scores of the city of Halle's most famous citizen and his baroque head of curls, I developed a spacial form which moves forcefully from the gallery level towards the top of the Georg Friedrich Handel Hall - an 11 m high, glassed-in, 47° angle room.

The 16 elements of this metal contour develop from a circular form created by tangential circles. They form a spacial vortex whose smallest elements reproduce the city's coat-of-arms. Interacting with the spacial levels of the hall, a complex series of differing perspectives and superimposed views accentuates the hall's function as a center for communication and contemplation and creates a certain amount of tension.

Digital planning:
2D planning of basic matrix and model.