Being cool never felt so good.
Color-changing art installations that elicit amazement and curiosity for those passersby will give visual appeal to the Las Vegas Strip’s first park. Standing at heights varying from 55 ft to 75 ft tall, 16 stunning shade structures will line The Park casting arty shadows and creating numerous legendary photo possibilities for visitors walking in the outside retreat.
Shade Structures
Built by IHC Studio Metalix, a Netherlands-based firm devoted to the construction and design of high-performance ships, the structures are the first of their kind in Vegas. Producing each structure, from cutting and developing to welding and set up, required more than 2,000 hrs to accomplish. As a whole, IHC employees devoted 32,000 labor hrs to create these beautiful sculptures.
IHC Studio Metalix employee assembling the shade structure
IHC Studio Metalix Architectural Fabricator Hendes de Klerk stated, “The structures are a big contribution to The Park experience; they are incredibly eye catching and will truly change the landscape of The Strip. The 3D shaping, metal stretching and lighting design of the structures showcase impressive technological advancements that give The Park that unbelievable ‘wow’ factor.”
IHC Studio Metalix employee shaping metal
Developers in the New YorkCity-based landscape architecture firm !melk used innovative three dimensional software to understand the way the monumental perforated steel structures would work in sync with the forms and materials of the Park. Consequently, every guest will experience a different visual variety of designs and shapes based on the path they choose.
!melk Founder Jerry van Eyck said, “We studied how the movement of the sun would impact The Park and overlaid the pedestrian scale of the space to determine the ideal location and size for each group of shade structures. The varied perforations were inspired by patterns and textures from the desert environment and they cast a playful shadow on the colorful pavers below.”
So what makes the structures so unique?
Throughout your day, carefully designed perforations, nearly 1,200 per crown, will cast delicate designs around the The Park grounds. During the night, the openings will emit a powerful glow, developing a magical light effect. Around the quarter hour, the structures will appear as though they transform into large cactus blooms with beautiful flower petals that exude awe-inspiring colors.
Arup Associate Principal Leni Schwendinger, lighting designer and artist, said, “The transformation will be elegant and gorgeous. For people who know about the timing of the change, it will be a moment to anticipate.”
This computer-sequencing technique will allow for a “visual chime” to take place. Visitors will be able to tell what time it is based on the changes, just like the aural chimes on a clock.
Shade Structures at night
The kicker? The lights cannot be installed until the shade structures are mounted into the ground at The Park. At that point, Schwendinger and her team will travel to Las Vegas for the installation, which will include placing thousands of LED light fixtures by hand.
Schwendinger added, “Our approach melds material, color and human factors to create a visual identity. Naturally, the lighting will follow suit. The Park’s nighttime identity offers an antidote to the over-the-top displays surrounding the landscape, bidding the visitor respite and an alternate experience of beauty.”
Opening April 4, 2016, The Park will serve as the official gateway to T-Mobile Arena, providing a reprieve from the hype of the Las Vegas Strip. Visitors can relax and unwind in the beauty of modern design while socializing with friends, enjoy delicious cuisine from neighborhood restaurants and bars or stroll through the space to take in the sights of The Strip’s newest cultural destination.
Did You Know:
? The shade structures were made in the Netherlands
? Average time to put together one structure: More than 2,000 hours
? The average weight of each shade structure is between 12 and 20 metric tons
? Approximately 400 tons of steel was used in the construction of The Park’s shade structures
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