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Core Kinetic Light Sculpture by Hsin Lee

Core Kinetic Light Sculpture by Hsin Lee is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Bronze A' Design Award in Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Competition Category.


BronzeFine Art· 2021

Core Kinetic Light Sculpture

by Hsin Lee

Client: Kawabata Intcraft Co. Ltd.

Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Fine Art Category

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Colors

The Design

About Core Kinetic Light Sculpture

Core is a kinetic light sculpture shaped like a pine cone. Core was made for Kawabata Intcraft, an 84-year-old Japanese-style police office in Taipei. The sculpture is formed of 87 brass leaves that slowly open and close through an inner mechanism. The calm movement resembles breathing and gives the historic building a sense of life. Core hangs from a high ceiling above a spiral staircase, so visitors see the sculpture from changing angles while climbing the stairs. The projected light shifts with each cycle.

The Recognition

About the Bronze A' Design Award

Core Kinetic Light Sculpture is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Core Kinetic Light Sculpture is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Core Kinetic Light Sculpture splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
Core is a kinetic light sculpture in the shape of pine cone made for Kawabata Intcraft, an 84-year-old Japanese-style police office. The copper leaves on the surface slowly open and close through inner mechanical structures. At the same time, the breathing-like movement transforms the building into a living body, symbolizing a breathing heart. To present the harmony of movement and light, different materials were combined and various types of mechanism were designed. Core, as a showcase of creators' exquisite craftmanship, is not only a form representation of nature but also the living symbol of architecture.
Dimensions & Packaging
L: 85cm, W: 85cm, H: 90cm
Tags
Kinetic Sculpture, reciprocating grooved drum mechanism, sustainable, recycle, art installation, craft, heartbeat, breathing, life symbol, chandelier, brass
Production Technology
Core is made out of 87 unique brass pieces, this project greatly relies on precise mechanical engineering. Each part is detailed crafted in collaboration with a self-made CNC machine. All parts are completed after incessant modifications and improvements on materials, fabrication, and lighting.
Design Challenge
To resemble the opening and closing states of pine cones, the reciprocating screws were used to trigger 12 central structures and connect 87 brass leaves to express the dynamic movement and contraction.
Inspiration
The purpose of this project is to study the relationship between artistic sculpture and historical building. When we learned that the building was supposed to be demolished but actually preserved, we hoped to bring it back to life in an artistic way. The concept and name "Core" was born accordingly, in the shape of pine cone to resembles eternity.
Project Duration
The project started in March 2020 in Taiwan, Taipei and finished in January 2021. It is now permanently exhibited in Kawabata Intcraft.
Operation Flow
This project is placed on a high ceiling directly above the spiral staircase.
Going up from the base floor, the viewer will be looking up at the artwork and then to the eye-level angle, creating rich perspectives and interaction. With regular opening and closing of the artwork, the projected light makes the entire space feel like breathing deeply.
Team Members
Art Director: Hsin Lee
Designer: Tseng, shih-gang
Mechanism Design: Wang, Hsiang-Ping
Image Credits
Image credits: Matter image

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