Flight – Proposal

As children, we often dream about the thrill of flight, imagining ourselves as pilots holding planes high in the air while playfully darting around the yard. Drawing inspiration from this childlike fascination with aviation and the woodland surroundings, my concept proposal, titled FlighT, takes shape. FlighT is also influenced by the remarkable aviation achievements of Nancy-Walton Bird, after whom the Western Sydney Airport is named.

The visual form of FlighT consists of five figures, each holding an aeroplane and raising it skyward. These forms blend the silhouettes of tree trunks with the human body, incorporating aeroplane propellers. The colours of the propellers are informed by native birds such as the Swift Parrot, Eastern Rosella and Little Lorikeet that inhabit the woodland.

Fabricated from raw Corten steel and powder coated coloured aluminium, FlighT is a wind-powered kinetic sculpture. The propellers, set in motion by the wind generated by passing Metro trains or natural wind conditions, add a dynamic element to the artwork. Positioned adjacent to the Active Transport Corridor and train embankment, FlighT is designed to captivate the attention of commuters on passing Metro trains, pedestrians strolling by, and cyclists travelling along the Active Transport Corridor.

FlighT features a collection of 5 Corten steel tree trunk human forms, each varying in height from 9.5m, 10m, 11m, 11.5m, and 12m. These trunks are equipped at the top with powder coated coloured aluminium propellers joined to spinning bearings for kinetic responsiveness to environmental wind conditions.

Client—
Transport NSW. Sydney Metro