Redefining reality

Resonance-in-Sight

Hong Kong SAR, China

The rise in the capacity for portable and wearable electronic devices to bring to life Augmented Reality (AR) worlds is having a radical impact on extending human perception. So-called “mixed reality technology” is enabling profound shifts in how we communicate and interact with each other and how we experience our environments.

Organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), the “Redefining Reality” exhibition displays as its centrepiece the outdoor installation “Resonance-In-Sight”. This artwork consists of a physical component, a dramatic pair of elegantly curved, brightly coloured steel structures, placed several metres apart to create a tangible tension between them, and a virtual element to complete the arch, a mixed-reality overlay made possible through holographic superimposition via AR-enabled electronic devices. It is a piece by Kristof Crolla and Garvin Goepel.

This new reality is carefully designed and curated to echo the museum’s collection. Visitors will be able to experience it simply by lifting their smartphone and viewing it in a custom built App on their screens. Visitors will connect with a special selection from HKMoA’s core collections, presented virtually in a playfully, interactive animated form, connecting the two sculptures and the museum.

Hong Kong Museum of Art’s Resonance-In-Sight installation consists of a dramatic pair of elegantly curved steel structures, which are brought together by Augmented Reality animated images.

Our experts worked closely with the artist using computational engineering to realise the design and ensure a seamless construction.

We provided structural engineering support around the creation of the complex structure created with doubly-curved steel tubes.

The installation will be displayed outside the Hong Kong Museum of Art throughout 2022 and has been designed to be easily deconstructed and moved for future display in other cities.

Challenge

Buro Happold was engaged by the artist Kristof Crolla, whose architecture studio Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design Ltd. (LEAD), had been tasked with creating a landmark temporary piece of public art to attract interest from a wide demographic of Hong Kong residents, many of whom may never have previously visited the gallery and explored its treasures.

Kristof Crolla approached our structural engineering experts with a rendering of his vision for a complex steel sculpture, which will act as a frame through which the lines between physical sculpture and virtual artwork can be blurred.

We were engaged to provide structural engineering support around the creation of the complex twisted geometrical shapes. We also played a critical role in working with the artist using computational engineering to realise the design and ensure a seamless construction and eliminate risk in the procurement of the steel sculpture. This was critical, given the very public nature of the construction of the sculpture, which had to be erected within a short period in a busy public space. However, this process was uniquely challenging due to local statutory constraints, the sculpture’s non-traditional fixings, and complex fabrication and assembly.

Solution

Both LEAD and Buro Happold’s expertise in computational design and digital modelling allowed for a streamlined and highly effective collaboration. Working closely with LEAD, we employed digital computational engineering processes to realise the artist’s vision for a complex steel sculpture comprising of multiple double-twisting steel tubes. This digital modelling ensured that the physical elements of the sculpture could be fabricated and assembled successfully, well before fabrication completed, leading to an accurate estimate for materials and reduced procurement risk.

We also explored the way in which the doubly-curved steel tubes could be connected, adopting the use of conventional off-the-shelf scaffolding clamps in this highly unconventional structure. These allowed the structure to be simply, quickly and cost-effectively constructed and deconstructed, and increased the sustainability of the design overall.

We liaised closely with the fabricators in China to ensure the structure could be efficiently fabricated and erected. As a consequence of Covid-19 restrictions, this had to be done remotely via video calls. We developed contingency plans around any potential risks for complexities in its construction and ensured this technical programme was fully engineered at the factory stage. This critically allowed us to fully reduce to a minimum any risk to the reputation of the institution on the installation day.

The installation will be displayed outside the Hong Kong Museum of Art throughout 2022 and has been designed to be easily deconstructed and moved for future display in other cities.

Value

The completed installation dramatically blurs the lines between physical structure and digital art, attracting a whole new audience for the museum’s collections. Bespoke Instagram filters allow visitors to directly interact with the museum’s art pieces and immerse themselves further into the exhibit, while sharing directly to their social media audiences and thereby building further excitement in the installation.

The resonance between all these elements defines the full artistic experience, inviting visitors into the museum to continue exploring its collections.

Our experts ensured the delivery of this significant piece of placemaking public art on time, on budget and without drama – effectively removing risk around its complex construction by modelling and carefully managing the mock run-through of the construction process within the factory ahead of the public installation. This elevated the role of Buro Happold above a structural engineer, driving the delivery of this piece of critical change-making public art at a moment when the city is looking towards the inception of its post-pandemic recovery era.