Firefly
Firefly, Public Utilities Commision (PUC), San Francisco, CA
“Firefly” dramatically reveals how wind moves around and through it. The hinged, polycarbonate panels swing with the unseen patterns of the wind. Each panel has a small inbedded magnet that connects with an electrical reed switch. By day, the work appears like rippling waves of glass. By night, the back and forth swinging of the panels trigger the flickering of tiny led lights. The illumination of this entire sculpture requires less energy than a 75-watt light bulb. The artwork also serves as a gantry for a series of power-generating, vertical axis wind turbines that power the lights as well as feeding electricity back into the building. A collaboration with KMD Architecture and commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission for the Public Utilities Commission. Completed in 2012.