Ornamental steel sculpture stands test of time
When the beautiful and lively Discovery Green Park opened to the public in 2008, it gave downtown Houston a much needed outdoor oasis. Discovery Green includes a playground, pristine green lawns, a splash pad and a restaurant, plus it hosts a lot of free and family-friendly programing. Designers of the park wanted to incorporate art installations throughout, including interactive pieces that would be visually prominent, yet nestled within the park’s natural environment.
One of the more prominent installations of the 12-acre park is the Mist Tree sculpture designed by Douglas Hollis, an American artist who works with wind- and water-activated sound sculptures and natural phenomena. Standing at 15 feet, 8 inches high by 28 feet in diameter, the Mist Tree is visible beyond the boundaries of the park and features 80 nozzles that form a mist cloud in the bowl of the stainless-steel sculpture, while a circular pan creates a rain curtain around the perimeter.
Envisioning a large-scale, ornamental installation that grasps the natural phenomena of water and mist, Hollis turned to Troco Custom Fabricators in St. Louis, to help bring his vision of the Mist Tree to life.
“The scope for the Mist Tree sculpture project was to work closely with the artist on figuring out the most economical route to fabricate, ship and install the piece,” says Tim Trotter, president of TROCO Custom Fabricators. “A primary challenge would be the ability to break down the sculpture in our St. Louis shop and then assemble the piece in place (Houston) with a minimal crew.”
An extreme amount of planning and CAD work enabled TROCO to take the schematic drawing from Hollis and fabricate the structure in a three-dimensional space. Ensuring that all 96 of the pieces could be made in a pattern that could be precisely cut using a waterjet was a challenge during this project. The addition of a hidden, or slightly noticeable, ring at the center of the sculpture was a critical step to stabilize the installation for hurricane season. “Utilizing the waterjet helps reassure that everything would fit as drawn and would go together easily,” says Trotter.
In determining the most suitable and cost-effective material for the sculpture, Troco selected 304 stainless steel for its excellent corrosion resistance and value. When handled properly during fabrication, 304 is an economical and practical choice for most environments. It can withstand corrosion from most oxidizing acids, and that durability makes 304 easy to sanitize, which makes it a good fit for site furnishings.
A sculpture of its size would require plumbing, which would be costly. “During the engineering process, we made a request to the engineer, asking if it would be possible to take out all the interior plumbing for a cost savings,” says Trotter. “After doing some calculations, the engineer approved eliminating the interior plumbing which helped cut the costs by about 12 percent.” With plumbing eliminated, the water is re-circulated and filtered, and it automatically shuts off if the wind threatens to scatter too much water.
It took Troco two months to fabricate the Mist Tree design. Setting the sculpture up in Troco’s 30,000-square-foot facility space allowed Hollis to come in for an inspection before it was dismantled and shipped to Houston. The installation on-site took a total of four days with a crew of five.
The innovative fabrication of the sculpture satisfies the engineering requirements for seismic constraints. The Mist Tree has been a focal point of the Discovery Green Park for nearly a decade, as it continues to drive over 1 million visitors annually as a Houston destination for families and professionals alike.
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Tim Trotter is the president of St. Louis-based Troco Custom Fabricators, a metal fabrication company specializing in architectural and sculptural metal fabrication. Established in June 2002, Troco services the construction industry, both regionally and nationally. To learn more, visit trocofab.com.
Photos: Tim Trotter of Troco Custom Fabricators