With over 20 years of experience designing art for public spaces, Jason Kelly Johnson and Nataly Gattegno of FUTUREFORMS are dedicated to activating the urban realm through experimentation, engagement and play.
Two of their recent projects, Orbital and Weatherscape, are both powerful examples of how technology intersects with public space and groundbreaking contemporary sculpture.
Conceived as a contemporary garden folly, Orbital is a deeply considered response to the site, blurring the line between the organic and the digital. The coiled, dynamic form — which the artists describe as a “Creature of the Garden” — achieves two distinct experiences: Highly reflective, perforated marine-grade stainless steel acts as a striking urban icon, while the interior transforms into an intimate, glowing sanctuary as visitors step inside the structure.
A testament to digital craft, Johnson and Gattegno masterfully transformed algorithms and complex computation into a tangible, awe-inspiring structure, composed of thousands of digitally crafted bespoke aluminum and steel elements.
More than a shade structure, Weatherscape is an immersive environment, designed to function as a “living laboratory of wonder.” The sweeping, horizontal forms evoke drifting clouds and the organic spread of algae, fostering a profound connection to the sky. Critically, the sculpture channels dynamic weather conditions, transforming sun, wind and water into captivating optical, material and sound effects.
Envisioned as a collection of “petri dishes set out for experimentation,” the artwork encourages curiosity by making the invisible forces that shape our environment visible and interactive for all visitors.
Orbital photography by Matthew Millman.
Weatherscape photography by Brian Wancho.
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