Professors from the UW-Madison Art Department helped design and build the light structures currently being installed outside the Kohl Center, which are intended to add dimension and color to the building's surrounding area.
Steven Feren and Gail Simpson - professors from the department who participated in the construction - built the lights with stainless steel wrapped with bronze ribbons.
We've created something that's celebratory. They combine light, architectural form and the ribbons add activity and movement,"" Feren said in a university statement. ""We wanted to add to the excitement of the place and add color and life to that plaza.""
The sculptures consist of 200 energy-efficient LEDs controlled by a computer, which took almost three years to create. The LEDs, which were designed to provide constant attraction, can change over time between the illumination of solid colors and different combinations of colors.
U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., donated money privately to fund the 17-foot-tall sculptures, which line both promenades of Dayton Street, in the hopes of adding appeal to the exterior of the building.
Kohl also contributed to the initial construction of the center in the late 1990s and is known for making other considerable donations to various areas of campus.
Associate vice chancellor for facilities planning and management Alan Fish said in a statement the 10-year-old building's surroundings would have more appeal and excitement due to the sculptures. He said he thinks the exterior will create a plausible shot for television networks covering Wisconsin sports from the Kohl Center.
