SURRLI

The „Surrli“, an art project in the center of the Stocker roundabout in Horgen, made by Jay Bower, was also geometrically and plastically developed and realized by Ferdinand Facklam, whose expert knowledge and experience in digital development of threedimensional forms was essential to its creation.

When moving within the roundabout by car, bicycle or as a pedestrian, the horizontally striped Surrli appears to be rotating in the center of the roundabout. The actual relation of a human hand setting a spinning top into motion is simply turned around here.

At night, the impression is increased by the inner illumination of the “Surrli” and the effect is additionally supported by the color concept of the plastic and the according design of the defensive wall in the background of the roundabout.

In order to converse this concept, Ferdinand Facklam projected the lines beforehand onto the angled wall and monitored the perspective appearance of the design.

By means of Ferdinand Facklams professional visualization and implementaion of Jay Bowers idea into a coherent concept and interaction of all components, an over dimensional toy was created, bringing up astonishment and fascination even for adults, by embedding the plastic into the daily world. And thus, the toy becomes a piece of art!

CREDITS

Location: Horgen ZH, Switzerland
Year: 2015
Type: Public art for traffic circle
Art field: Sculpture, Wall painting
Material: Polycarbonate
Art Director: Jay Bower
Concept: Jay Bower, Ferdinand Facklam
Computational Designer: Ferdinand Facklam
Fabrication: Kunstbetrieb
Structural Engineering: Flückiger + Bosshard AG
Photographs: Ulrich Stockhaus
Text: Dr. Viola Tallowitz-Scharf