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Meander

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance

of things, but their inward significance.

Aristotle

Art has the power to unite, transform, motivate and inspire. In this day and age, modern and advanced methods have helped breathe new life into its creation and how we perceive it.

 

Recently, when a Kansas City resident wanted a sculpture commissioned to liven up his residence and pay homage to the geographical location of his home, he turned to Dimensional Innovations to bring such a vision to life.

 

Drawing inspiration from the mighty Missouri River and understanding the river’s unique footprint on the region, our team began ideating ways to showcase the natural beauty of the waterway while injecting one-of-a-kind, personalized creativity into the sculpture.

 

Scripting and scanning

To envision the evolution of the Missouri River, our team utilized Grasshopper, a scripting and parametric modeling application, to build an algorithm predicting numerous variations of how the river could change over time. By developing and running this script, Meander took on new life and numerous forms. 

Reimagining its ebbs and flows through this algorithm that would reflect those subtle changes, we knew that slight variants could drastically change its entire form over hundreds — and even thousands — of years. Then, our team took a fully comprehensive, 3D scan of the site location where the sculpture was to be installed and utilized Augmented Reality to strategically (and virtually) place the sculpture. 

2,341 Mi.

Length of the Missouri River

700 lbs.

Weight of Meander

 

Making Meander

With all the logistics determined, it was time to create Meander. To best showcase the river’s transformation, DI utilized a Large Scale Additive Manufacturing machine, one of the largest 3D printers in the United States. With each of the 180 3D-printed layers representing a different geographical variation of the river, Meander was created.

Standing 3 feet tall, stretching over 14 feet long and the longest layer measuring 65 feet, Meander weighs 700 pounds and was formed using PETG, the same material used in plastic water bottles. Knowing the sculpture would be installed outside and need to withstand the harsh Midwest elements, a UV resistant additive was also added to the polymer, creating the sculpture’s amber hue.

To display the intricacies of Meander, a full spectrum of LEDs at the base of the installation allows the artwork to take on dynamic forms, scattering light and revealing new shapes for all to behold. To manage this light, our team developed a custom interface that provides the owner with complete control over them.

CUSTOM LIGHT INTERFACE

Developed in-house to provide complete control of Meander's lighting

180

Number of printed layers forming Meander, each representing a different evolution of the Missouri River

 

Talk to Our Experts

Whether you have a fully-baked idea or are just exploring the possible, our proven-effective approach makes it easy to help you determine where to start and how DI can help. We'd love to learn more!

 

Get in Touch
Carole Hollman

Carole Hollman

Practice Director - Cultural

With over 13 years of experience in the museum design/build world, Carole has successfully led and facilitated large-scale exhibit and interpretive projects of national importance around the country for over a decade. Carole’s passion... more about Carole Hollman Carole Hollman Carole Hollman Practice Director - Cultural

With over 13 years of experience in the museum design/build world, Carole has successfully led and facilitated large-scale exhibit and interpretive projects of national importance around the country for over a decade. Carole’s passion for storytelling and her love of the non-profit, educational world make her a natural and compassionate leader in this field. Her combined skills and professional experience make her a powerful listener, communicator, client liaison, internal and external group facilitator, conceptual thinker, visionary, and team leader.

Having spent 20+ years in a number of different creative and educational fields, she brings an added design mentality and the benefits of cross-industry experience to any project. She has an extensive background across a wide range of fields, including: Museum and Exhibit Design and Fabrication; Software Design and Development; Healthcare and Healthcare Education/Certification; Professional and Continuing Education; and K-12 Educational Design.

As the project leader, Carole’s main goal is to assemble the best team for each project, set them up for highest success, and let them do what they do best, while staying personally involved at a high level from beginning to end. Notable past projects include: The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum; Wonderscope Children’s Museum; UNMC McGoogan Library Wigton Heritage Center; Dane G. Hansen Museum; Zoo Knoxville, KidScape at the Johnson County Museum, and the Kansas Museum of History.

Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Director of Transit and Advanced Manufacturing

Brought onboard to Dimensional Innovations in 2020, Paul has over 20 years of experience developing and executing some of the world’s most challenging architectural cladding projects. He specializes in working directly with design,... more about Paul Martin Paul Martin Paul Martin Director of Transit and Advanced Manufacturing

Brought onboard to Dimensional Innovations in 2020, Paul has over 20 years of experience developing and executing some of the world’s most challenging architectural cladding projects. He specializes in working directly with design, ownership, and contracting teams to refine and optimize designs for fabrication and installation. Using DI’s advanced CNC equipment, including the largest 3D printer commercially available, Paul is able to assist designers in realizing their most ambitious projects, while working directly with the Operations group to ensure budget and schedule expectations. Paul is also able to leverage the vast capabilities with DI’s design and technology departments to further enhance the projects under development. 

 

Paul earned a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University. He often presents his work at industry conferences and guest lectures at various university programs.

 
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Get In Touch With Our Experts

Every big opportunity starts with a small step forward. We're here to help you! Let’s jump on the phone, say hello and discuss your need, idea or project in a quick 15-minute FIT call. Prefer email? That's cool, too! Drop us a line - we're always happy to connect.

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