Snøhetta Plywood Sculptures at the Kennedy Center
Snøhetta's acclaimed projects include the National September 11th Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt, and the Oslo Opera House.
Kennedy Center vice-president Alicia Adams says that Snøhetta and Center staff worked side-by-side for more than a week to turn a prototype into a public exhibit: "They had an initial mockup," she says, "but the installation really took shape only once they started to work on the site and to experiment."
"People were intrigued by the fact that the wood could be so flexible," Adams says. "That just the tension of the ropes suspending, stretching the plywood would create such unique shapes and movement."
The Snøhetta sculptures, installed in one of the main entrances to the Center, were part of the month-long event that provided exposure to Nordic music, lectures, films, cuisine, art and culture attended by nearly 200,000 visitors.
Adams noted the imagination could 'run wild' while looking at this installation: "For some, it looked like a roll of film. For others, the effect was like a roll of paper. For others, like some sort of flying object."
The Snøhetta crew and the Center staff had to be aware of the large number of people that circulate through the Hall of Nations every day, the height and width restrictions, entry and exit points, and the way the plywood sheets responded to the different points of tension, suspended and anchored by ropes.
"The suggestion of using plywood came from the Snøhetta office," says Adams. "They wanted to demonstrate its properties."
The Kennedy Center, concerned about visitor safety, insisted on fireproof certification. The Snøhetta team complied and had all of the plywood fireproofed before it was shipped from Norway.
"At the very end, we are very happy with our plywood baby," said Adams.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the plywood sculptures at the Kennedy Center?+
The sculptures were designed by Snøhetta, the firm known for projects including the National September 11th Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, and the Oslo Opera House.
How were the Snøhetta plywood sculptures shaped and suspended?+
The plywood sheets were suspended and anchored by ropes, with the tension of the ropes stretching the plywood to create unique shapes and movement. Snøhetta and Kennedy Center staff worked on-site for more than a week to transform a prototype into the final installation.
Why did Snøhetta choose plywood for the Kennedy Center installation?+
The suggestion to use plywood came from the Snøhetta office, which wanted to demonstrate the material's properties, particularly its flexibility.
Was the plywood used in the Kennedy Center sculptures fireproofed?+
Yes. The Kennedy Center required fireproof certification for visitor safety, so the Snøhetta team had all of the plywood fireproofed before it was shipped from Norway.
Where were the Snøhetta sculptures installed at the Kennedy Center?+
The sculptures were installed in the Hall of Nations, one of the main entrances to the Center, as part of a month-long Nordic cultural event attended by nearly 200,000 visitors.
What design constraints did the Snøhetta team have to consider?+
The team had to account for the large number of people circulating through the Hall of Nations daily, height and width restrictions, entry and exit points, and how the plywood sheets responded to different points of tension.