Art and architecture in fabric and steel

Every two years, a landscape architect is chosen through a juried competition to create an installation for the Cleveland Public Art Park. The 2009 incarnation, from Eventscape, Toronto, Ont., Canada, celebrates both Cleveland’s industrial heritage and its new “green” environmental agenda. The fabric-clad organic futuristic forms make a powerful visual impact on a number of levels: historic, artistic, structural and political.

The fabricated steel forms represent the city’s historical steel industry. The hand-bent frame was requested by the project designer to enhance the organic feel.

Each element required integrated solar panels to give a luminous glow to the fabric structures at night. The custom covering was fabricated to match the client’s green color, and is coated for water repellency and UV protection. Eventscape worked closely with the client and fabric mill to find a material that would meet requirements for stretch and translucency as well as lightfastness and weathering criteria. In winter, the outer fabric covering is easily removed to showcase the metal armatures’ structure, casting intricate shadows and providing two design options for this all-season attraction. Design is by North Design Office; Peter North, for Cleveland Public Art. Engineer for the project is Ian Mountfort with Blackwell Bowick Partnership Ltd.