Troll Blue Swell is a permanent long-span aluminum shade canopy completed in Venice, California. The piece demonstrates a formal system that is both sculptural and structural. The installation’s form was developed via a deliberate and specific combination of hand drawn geometry and computer scripting and is constructed out of over 600 unique powder-coated, folded pieces. Material efficiency is achieved through the integration of form, structure and function. The components are riveted together preserving the integrity of the individual components but acting as a whole in a manner similar to a space frame. Spanning 20’ longitudinally and 12.5’ in the transverse direction, the canopy uses no intermediate or secondary structure. This structural methodology is a continuation of a trajectory of investigation that includes previous projects Rumple Zone, Three Horned Beast, and A Loose Horizon. Vertebrae oversaw all aspects of design, production, and installation, coordinating with the structural engineer, custom fabricators and a general contractor.

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