Boundary
John Grade
Photo credit: John Grade
Boundary Seattle Tacoma International Airport (North Terminal) 2021 Alaskan Yellow Cedar, 40’ H x 85’ W x 25’ D
Inspired by an imagined vantage from below the root structure of an old-growth western red cedar, Boundary cantilevers twenty-five feet from the primary wall that welcomes passengers who enter Seattle-Tacoma Airport’s North Terminal. The sculpture’s undulating radial perimeter references a dividing ground plane at a scale similar to the spread of a commercial aircraft’s wingspan.
My role in this project:
Modeled the sculpture in digital space referencing drawings made by the artist
Worked in concert with the structural engineer and the site architects to ensure that the big ol’ thing fit in the building
Referencing a LIDAR scan, modeled the steel mounting brackets to achieve a precise union between the sculpture and the as-built structure of the building
Prepared paper templates for each part, as well as maps and schematics so that it could be precisely fabricated by the team
