Lorax

8001 N Lincoln Ave, Skokie, IL 60077, Commissioned Sculpture for the Village of Skokie

The design idea behind “Lorax” was to design a whimsical piece that was tall and captivating at night. The Village of Skokie Art Committee was infatuated with my past stainless sculptures that were shown in Chicago Sculpture Exhibition. It was requested to make something similar to my past flowers but 3x times the size. This Stainless Steel sculpture stands over 22ft with a 5ft flower bloom attached. Inside the bloom there is outdoor rated interactive light system. This lighting system has the ability to use data / sensors to drive the light array, giving the pedestrian control of the experience. Depending on how the viewer walks through the space, incorporates different sensors, initiating custom colorful light patterns, washing over each other.

The main goal for this project was to ensure to the clients that “Lorax” could withstand the harsh winters of Chicago. The sculpture is fabricated entirely from High-Grade Stainless Steel enabling it to resist the strong winds as well as the snow and salt associated with Chicago winters. This sculpture has been standing over 5 years with zero issues or maintenance since install. It was designed to have zero maintenance until the lifespan of the lighting system runs out. The life-span of these industrial flood light systems are over 50,000 hours, providing years of consistent illumination. Once the lighting system does die, there is an access window within the flower structure for quick and easy replacement of the lighting system.

For this particular project, the clients requested the flower bloom be as polished and gleaming as possible. To capture this desired effect, the whole 5ft bloom itself was cut up into 8 sections then dipped individually into the electropolish chemical solution. The Electropolished finishes leaves a mirror polished / chrome like finish that refracts lights extremely well. Once complete, it was welded back up and made structural.

We specialize in designing / fabricating larger than life ideas. Our main goal at DSIV is to build public pieces that are timeless. We understand the future of public art and spaces are reliant on the relationship between the viewer and the work. We are constantly pursuing the idea of how to make public sculptures landmarks, elevating the space to feel playful and fun.