A Lifetime of Endless Summers from below

There is a dusting of jolly confetti falling gracefully from the ceiling of The Exchange, Sydney, the spiralling, light-filled hive, commissioned by Lendlease Australia, and designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates. A Lifetime of Endless Summers by renowned artist Nike Savvas, cascades in shades of yellow, orange, pink, green, and blue, capturing the wind, coaxing the harbour breeze indoors. In order to deliver this piece, in collaboration with Savvas, Urban Art Projects (UAP) experimented with interaction design using Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technology.

The view from inside the HoloLens
**Interaction Design (Wind)

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The freedom to explore and experiment consistently drove this project forward, into new and unexpected territory, not least because this was a complex and varied piece. The artwork covers a 12-metre diametre and comprises 9,200 aluminium tabs finished in numerous fluorescent paint finishes. Each component was suspended via a system of 715 ultra-fine wire cables that fixed directly into the ceiling.
Once Savvas and Lendlease reached a consensus regarding the immersive experience, wind testing was employed at the UAP’s Brisbane foundry.  In fabrication, the team determined the precise spacing requirements. This involved regulating clear gaps to prevent individual wire drops from getting knotted and twisted. This kind of optimised precision enabled each wire drop to gently oscillate, delivering a range of sensations via an interplay between gentle breezes and the kinetic field of colour.
In production, the aluminium components were carefully designed and mounted to sway at random angles between an approximate range of 0-45 degrees. Each wire was placed at a minimum midpoint of 300 millimetres, with an extra 600-gram weight appended at the end to ensure just the right amount of gravity and sway.

AR & VR Solutions

The piece was successfully delivered using AR HoloLens headsets and Fologram VR mixed-reality software to manage the complexities of the installation on-site; a process that flawlessly encapsulates Savvas’ sense of playful ingenuity, and UAP’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions built on a combination of value-added processes and technological innovation.
UAP also employed these tried and tested AR and VR technologies during the documentation and installation stage. This allowed the installation team to move freely, whilst skillfully navigating and visualizing each focal point via a direct overlay of digital elements amidst what already existed in the physical world.
Using Hologram and Fologram allowed UAP’s craft makers to execute the exact placement of the drill holes. The same holes were then carefully matched with the suspended wire drops and ceiling trays, which sat over-and-above a circular ceiling between the market hall and mezzanine restaurant. All those involved across the process remain extremely positive and enthusiastic about their experience and its impact on the outcome. Seamlessly combining AR and VR construction not only made for a safer work environment but saved days of time, opening up opportunities to integrate human creativity and intuition into the process.
Advanced manufacturing systems and technologies helped reduce the occurrence of human errors, which reduced the risks and costs traditionally involved in bespoke design and construction. As such, the use of Fologram and HoloLens delivered continuous engagement, and the opportunity to expand the scope of vision systems in design-led manufacturing.

Detail, confetti components
Delivering Bespoke Outcomes

As in many industries, technological advances and human artistry in manufacturing and design are converging. Whilst some fear that automation will kill jobs, Design Robotics and UAP recognise the important role technological advances play in supporting skilled workers. Human/robot interaction not only assists in the completion of tedious and repetitive tasks but also reduces risk. In this context, human partners are free to explore creative tasks, which has a direct impact on productivity and wellbeing.
Via the support of the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC), Design Robotics and UAP have partnered to present a range of new possibilities. The goal is simple – to design for human intelligence and optimize the relationship between people and machines. Watch this space as Design Robotics and UAP are committed to operating at the forefront of novel solutions, meshing technology with human creativity to explore a myriad of new possibilities.
A Lifetime of Summers launches a long-term commitment to robotic vision systems and software user-interfaces that enhance and support skilled workers. Associate Professor Dr. Glenda Caldwell, Cheif Investigator, Design Robotics described the process as “…the opportunity to work collaboratively with robotic technologies to decrease human risk in manufacturing and increase innovation and creativity”.
Reimagining the design process and pushing boundaries in industrial robotic capabilities empowers people to navigate increasing workplace complexity. At its heart, this work identifies what robots and machines do best – problem-solving, and matches it with what humans do best – social intelligence and contextual understanding. This symbiosis creates resilient outcomes, and enhanced processes, firmly placing Australia at the forefront of innovation and enterprise.

Nike Savvas – A Lifetime of Summers

Don’t forget to look up! The layered fluorescent colours of yellow, orange, pink, green and blue of Nike Savvas’ ‘A Lifetime of Summers’ simulates confetti falling from the ceiling. The oscillating rectangular tabs create a soft kinetic field of colour celebrating our nostalgia for the endless Australian summer.@lendlease—Visiting one of our projects? Share you experience by tagging @uapcompany or #uapcompany #uap—#uap #madebyuap #uapcompany #incrediblethings #NikeSavvas #TheExchange #DarlingSquare #Sydney #ALifeTimeofSummers #art #publicart #artist #installation #artwork

Posted by UAP on Tuesday, 3 March 2020 

Entering the artwork
The Concept of Freedom

Thanks to collaborative partnerships, like Design Robotics and UAP, embracing technology ensures value-added mass customization. With an eye on addressing logistical complexities, solving engineering challenges, and meeting tight deadlines. In this context, artists, like Savvas, can focus their attention on creative potential. This not only informs the work of the Design Robotics team but fosters a culture of cross-germination and skills acquisition, which impacts UAP’s crafts makers and the manufacturing sector Australia-wide, and internationally.
On one hand, A Lifetime of Summers is playful, teasing the vibrant kinesis between form, wind, and colour. Equally, it is profound in the pursuit of meaning. By simply standing beneath it, viewers are transported into a hypnotic trance, revelling and reflecting whilst charmed by a sense of freedom and the optimism of endless summers. Yet, few will appreciate the cutting-edge approaches that were applied in its making – that’s our little secret.