Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun by Yingri Guan

Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun by Yingri Guan is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award an Eisen in Schéi Kënschten a Konschtinstallatioun Design Competition Category.

EisenSchéi Konscht· 2021

Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun

by Yingri Guan

Client: ARiceStudio

A' Design Award an Eisen Winner in Schéi Konscht Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #105575

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun

Eisker Visualiséierung ass eng Konschtinstallatioun, déi de Verhältnis tëscht dem Kuelendioxid-Niveau an dem globale Klima weist. D'Installatioun besteet aus aacht Acryl-Réier, déi mat geschichtete Gel-Wachs gefëllt sinn. All Rouer huet e Duerchmiesser vun 8 Zoll an eng Längt vu 3 Fouss. All Wachsschicht representéiert Duerchschnëttsdaten fir en Zäitraum vun dausend Joer, sou datt am Ganzen déi lescht véierhonnertdausend Joer ofgedeckt ginn. E Grautoun-Schema weist d'Variatioun vum Kuelendioxid. En zweet Schema benotzt Rout fir Hëtzt a Blo fir Keelt, fir d'Temperaturvariatioun ze weisen.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award an Eisen

Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun ass e Gewënner vum A' Design Award an Eisen, enger prestigiéiser Unerkennung, déi un gutt Designe vergi gëtt, déi déi professionell an industriell Ufuerderunge erfëllen, déi vu gutt gestaltene Kreatioune erwaart ginn. Eisen-Gewënner weisen déi grouss Fäegkeet, déi héich Spezialiséierung, dat Expertewëssen an d'kreativ Kapazitéit vun hire Schëpfer. Et gëtt erwaart, datt Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun eng héich geschätzt, bewonnert a beléifte Kreatioun ass, déi praktesch an innovativ ass. Dëst mam Eisen ausgezeechent Design integréiert déi beschte Praktike vun der Industrie a huet kompetent technesch Eegeschaften, déi mat Know-how an Talent verbonne sinn. Ice Core Visualization Konschtinstallatioun gëtt fir seng Grëndlechkeet respektéiert a ass gestalt, d'Liewensqualitéit ze verbesseren an ze hëllefen, d'Welt zu enger besserer Plaz ze maachen.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Ice Core brings together the aesthetics of layers of ice with the immense amount of weather information core samples contain. It features eight acrylic tubes filled with layered gel wax, with each layer denoting the average data contained within a thousand-year sample.
Dimensions & Packaging: Each ice core tube is 8 inches in diameter and 3 feet in length
Tags: Ice Core, Art, Installation, Visualizations, Generative
Production Technology: First the data set is obtained from NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Below shows the data set used in diagram format based on the Vostok Petit data. Carbon dioxide in comparison of global temperature variation is chosen. Generally carbon dioxide production is related to burning of carbon and other energy consumption activities. While global warming is closely related to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere especially carbon dioxide level.
Design Challenge: I was brainstorming along the line of creating something semi-transparent, which lends close resemblance to original ice cores while giving the flexibility of making it layer by layer. Therefore, the process of making wax candles came in handy. Hence, I melted layers of wax with the measured amount of dye is poured into the tube layer by layer. I divided the acrylic tube into four sections, and each tube represents a hundred thousand years. Then I further divided each tube into a hundred layers. Therefore each layer of the wax represents average data over a thousand years.
Research: A greyscale color scheme depicts the carbon dioxide variation over the last four hundred thousand years. In comparison, a color scheme based on the weather map describes temperature variations. Red is associated with heat; blue indicates freezing temperature. The goal to show temperature variation. When four tubes are displayed side by side, we can see that the variation corresponds. If more carbon dioxide is present in the global environment, the higher the temperature. Inversely, the lighter content indicates a lower carbon dioxide production and therefore followed by a generally colder climate.
Inspiration: Ice cores are long and condensed tubes that are extracted from the extremely cold areas where snow fell and accumulated over the years with minimal melting and eventually compressed to ice sheets. The layers of snow contain rich information about our global climate. For example, dust, ash, pollen, bubbles of atmospheric gas and radioactive substances. This project is particularly concerned with carbon dioxide content in the gaseous bubbles trapped inside each layer of ice.
Project Duration: Project started in Buffalo since 2012 and complete in San Francisco Bay Area by 2018
Operation Flow: A very interesting aspect of this making is the tactility of the whole process. I wanted the audience to have a direct correlation to what they see in front of them and appreciate the beauty of the ice core as I have been. Also, it is observed that there are four general cycles in terms of variation of the global climate. Currently, according to the trend, we are moving towards the time period that temperature is predicted to go up. Therefore it lends question to that if global warming is a manmade phenomenon or it is part of the global climate change cycle.
Team Members: Yingri Guan
Image Credits: Photographer Yingri Guan, Variations, 2014