CATALOG NO. B75 2016
Spiral Dome: Sculptures in Paper and Steel
Specifications Edition of 4
Movable Paper Sculpture 4.75 x 9.25 x 9.75 in box, 18" dia. fully open with 12 page book
The Paper Sculpture is a movable book made of 145 unique cut paper parts
bound with black Tyvek. Mounted on a six-part folding base, the book fits into a storage box.
The 145 unique parts include 19 ribs, 18 double hinge sets, and 108 exterior panels that form 18 sections.
The starting rib is permanently fixed to the base.
To facilitate display, ribs 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 contain magnets that connect with steel
contact points on the base.
Spiral Dome was designed with 3D CAD software. 145 unique parts for the Movable
Paper Sculpture were cut and assembled by hand. Ribs, base and box are constructed of museum board;
various papers were used for the panels and hinges. The hinge connectors and binding material are black Tyvek.
Covers of the storage box and accompanying book are letterpress printed from polymer plates.
Spiral Dome Book The accompanying book presents a proposal for a steel structure
45 feet in diameter that, if oriented toward the south, would produce striking optical effects at various times
of the year.
Collections
Permanent collection -
UC Berkeley Environmental Design Library, Special Collections
Columiba University Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
MICA Decker Library, Artist Book Collection
Temple University Special Collections
Early morning sun on the paper sculpture
Opening the paper sculpture
While working on the Spiral Dome Movable Paper Sculpture I realized it could function as a model for a permanent installation, which I call the Proposed Steel Sculpture. I made preliminary drawings for constructing such a structure.
The image above shows a preliminary drawing for a permanent Spiral Dome installation 45 feet in diameter and 23 feet, 4 inches high. The base of the structure would be a poured concrete slab with anchor bolts for each rib. The rib design defines the structure. The nineteen ribs are made of welded structural angle and steel plate.
The Drawings below show the construction details of the proposed steel sculpture.
To create the spiral, 18 sections increment in height and dimension from the center of the structure by a factor of
1.014 for each successive section. The last section differs in scale
from the first by a factor of 1.2666, or 1.014 to the 17th power.
All elements in both sculptures – ribs, hinges or braces, and panels – increment by the same scale factor, the top spiral ring connects all of the ribs;
also depicted are the inner and outer panel segments. Made of thin steel plate, the panels increment in size along with the ribs.
The inner panels attach to the inside radius of each rib and seams between panels would be filled
to provide a smooth surface. Exterior panels overlap at each rib for a scalloped effect on the outside of the Dome.
Spiral Dome was inspired by James Turrell's Skyspaces, enclosed chambers with apertures for viewing the sky. The Proposed Steel Sculpture functions similarly, but because the opening results from a spiral, the Dome will also capture direct solar rays as the sun moves across the sky.
A drawing tracks two possible solar paths when the Dome is oriented to the south and sited at the stated latitude and longitude. With the sun low in the sky at the Winter Solstice, its path would be viewed near the top of the Dome. At the Summer Solstice, the sun's path progresses on the floor of the structure. Many sun-and-shadow patterns will be created as solar rays are projected and reflected inside the Spiral Dome throughout the year. Ideally, the structure would be oriented with the entrance facing south, preferably on a raised mound with a spiral concrete access ramp. The bracing at the bottom of the sculpture surrounds the Dome and measures 3 feet, 10 inches high. In early morning light, this part of the structure can produce dramatic patterns inside the Spiral Dome.
