Expanding Helicoid

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Expanding Helicoid

Silver
Environments
Client: Discovery World (U.S.)
Design: Hoberman Associates (U.S.)

Beginning as a tight cluster, the Expanding Helicoid smoothly expands to fill the spiral staircase at the center of Discovery World's permanent biotech exhibit in Milwaukee. Visitors have the sensation of being inside the sculpture: as it expands, it seems to grow like a living plant; as it contracts, it seems to disappear into the stairwell. Bound by two spiral staircases--like the DNA double helix it resembles--the helicoid itself is like a living organism, visually joining the staircases from landing to landing. The designers created a sculpture that is fully experiential, rather than simply visual—one that embodies themes of innovation, science and technology.