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The Invitation of Color and Illumination: Wagner Murray’s Architectural Transformations of Public Space
The strategic use of light, pattern, and color is key for Wagner Murray Architects as the firm embarks on transforming existing public areas into entirely new spatial events. “The emotional experience of human beings within an architectural space is what it’s really about.” says principle Dave Wagner. “It has to appear effortless. The public doesn’t have to know why they feel the way that they do; the architectural elements simply have to work together harmoniously to bring about the desired effect.”
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Weaving With Light: Textile Artist Astrid Krogh Designs Light Tapestries That Transform the Spaces They Illuminate
“To work with textiles is to work with patterns,” says Denmark-based designer Astrid Krogh, whose sculptures transform everyday spaces into glowing, dynamic environments. Fascinated by the interplay of textile and light, Krogh has modernized the centuries-old technique of tapestry weaving with the use of thoroughly modern materials including neon, reflective metals, and optic fiber.
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Wimberley Glassworks’ Custom Blown Glass Installations Complement Space and Place
When asked what drew him to creating large-scale blown glass lighting designs, Canadian-born glass-blower Tim deJong recalls a wintery visit to Niagara Falls many years ago. As evening fell, the frozen mist that covered the light posts began to refract into myriad colors. "The light shining on those water crystals was coming up fiber optically,” deJong remembers. “That’s when I knew I wanted to work with glass. It’s the closest thing to ice and it lasts forever.”
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Telling Stories: Gordon Huether’s Large-Scale Installations Tackle Time, Space and Identity
If you are fortunate enough to find yourself stuck in traffic with Gordon Huether, your very perception of time and space may just be altered. “Everyone has sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic,” the sculptor says by way of explaining his fascination with nature’s effect on man-made objects. “Maybe at some point you’re behind a beat-up old truck. And maybe it has stains and rust patterns on it.” Or take for example the weeds pushing up a poured sidewalk, he continues, or bird droppings splattered along an exterior wall. “Humanity is so preoccupied with making things, manipulating things,” he says. “But nature has a way of taking things back.”