METROPOLIS

HILDE & BÅRD TØRDAL | 2015 | H4000 X W20000 X D100 MM | ALUMINUM, COPPER ANODIZED DiBOND, CAST ACRYLIC, ELECTRONICS

The decoration “Metropolis” was selected through a closed competition with prequalification. The task was to create a decoration for the facade of the municipal water treatment plant’s visitor center inside the mountain at Odderøya. The artwork measures approximately 20 x 4 meters and consists of two main illustrations. To the left of the entrance door of the visitor center is a deconstructed abstract version of the grid street pattern of Kristiansand, where each city block is represented by its own house. Pipes under the city are visible and move towards the right part of the decoration, with some windows illuminated. The entire decoration use isometric perspective, allowing viewers to decide for themselves what is in the foreground and background of the motif.

On the right side of the building is a simplified version of the treatment plant. Here, collaboration with technicians at the plant helped identify their needs when receiving school classes and other visiting groups. All processes in the plant are included and placed in the correct order, but the equipment is drawn in the our own style. At the end of the plant, the decoration splits in two: purified water is released through two pipes, and purified air from the plant is vented through the new chimney at the top of Odderøya. Three microcomputers animate LEDs that illustrate the purified emissions through rainbow-colored light shining through thick acrylic glass plates.

Materials were chosen to ensure the wall could support the weight of the decoration: lightweight copper-anodized laminate plates mounted on a light aluminum skeleton. The construction is quick to assemble, withstands the humid, salty environment, and can be easily repaired and maintained. Aluminum and lacquered anodized aluminum were chosen to fit into the gray rock hall and technical environment. The decoration consists of 265 CNC-milled elements, the largest being 580 x 440 mm, all with a number engraved so the owner can easily order new parts if the artwork is damaged. All parts of the work were produced in our studio in Tørdal. During installation, the team received very positive feedback from the plant employees, who developed a strong sense of ownership of the artwork. The curator for the project was Nina Bjørkendal.