Rotation Index Original

Rotation Index is an immersive expression of light that changes its appearance with the weather. Located at Colorado State University’s Spur Campus at the National Western Center in Denver, the artwork responds to pioneering research into the future of plant health and horticulture.

Spanning the length of a pedestrian bridge linking the Hydro building (focused on water) and Terra building (focused on food and agriculture), the artwork is a welcoming gateway that represents a living ecosystem. Combining data sets from the University’s growth chambers, greenhouses and green roofs with live, local weather information, it displays a palette of generative animations representing a system of growth, decay and renewal.

Taking inspiration from Colorado’s famous circular crop fields, and the principal of an angular mechanism filling and emptying, the artwork is formed of 348 LED rings. Like a plant, it manifests different growth patterns dependent on changing environmental stimuli. In stable weather the artwork is subtle and meditative. As temperatures swing it becomes more erratic, shifting between amber hues to cool shades of blue.

Creating a link with the University’s innovative research, Rotation Index celebrates the relationship between people and nature while providing a luminous notice board for the exciting activity happening on campus.