TIDAL
Client: City of St Petersburg
Location: St Petersburg, FL USA
Service: Design, Fabrication, Installation
Features: Design Milk, InHabitat, 83 Degrees Media, World Landscape Magazine, and more…
TIDAL is an interactive public art installation that utilizes key data points from the NOAA to spark an open conversation around the impact of sea-level rise in the area and elsewhere. Effects of climate change are being felt worldwide, and the Shore Acres community in St. Petersburg, FL, is no exception to this. The Shore Acres neighborhood is already experiencing significant impacts of sea-level rise and is at an even higher risk to its effects as time progresses. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict that by 2100 if we stay on our current trajectory, the area’s sea rise could reach over 9ft. This expected rise is nearly five times what the average sea level rise should be for within that time frame, putting the neighborhood at risk.
“The work is not just amazing to look at but has an important and impactful message.”
Often the way this information is presented makes climate change a challenging topic for people to want to hear or discuss because it is usually talked about in a way that makes people feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed. This lack of conversation around the issue is a problem when trying to educate others on the future impact of climate change and how to become more resilient. The design uses play methodologies as a critical tool to break down these barriers and create an opportunity for reflection and discussion.
TIDAL’s design utilizes this data from the NOAA along with average tidal patterns of the area to create a series of flowing pillars that reflect and refract the surrounding context. The pillars act like a breaking wave along the main pathway leading people in and out of the building. These pillars are designed to act similarly to a pier's columns by becoming indicators of tidal change data and water rise over time. As people walk by each unit, they illuminate from within, revealing perforated data points generated from the average local tidal patterns. The pillars stay illuminated briefly and then fade away, much like the ocean watermarks left behind on the piers as the tides change over time.
“The work has already sparked many positive conversations with residents coming to the community center”
This responsive nature of the work showcases how our actions can create an immediate reaction. As people continue to pass by, they begin to see themselves reflected on the work itself and how the angle at which they view the work begins to change its color. These interactions evoke an internal reflection through the playful interactions of the work. TIDAL uses its playful design to spark conversations with the users, the architecture, the landscape.
TIDAL is made of recyclable polycarbonate and aluminum that was fabricated locally in St. Petersburg, FL to help mitigate the carbon footprint of the artwork. The work contains low-powered lighting and sits within a permeable planter bed to help with rainwater collection. TIDAL utilizes its playable design to spark an open dialogue to help us on the journey to a more resilient future for our planet.
