A 40-metre high piece of public art made from more than 2,000 steel tubes and more than 800 joints seeks to inspire the next generation of engineers and help cement peace in Ireland.
Called “RISE” – this public artwork was recently erected in Belfast. The sculpture – two concentric spheres, one inside the other, “hovers” above the new interchange in Belfast. It was commissioned by Belfast City Council and conceived as a “symbol of unity and welcome”.
RISE was designed and created by artist Wolfgang Buttress and specialists from London-based engineering firm Price & Myers.
Designers said it contained more than 3,000 parts, each made with “perfect accuracy using robotic fabrication machines”, and was built following the creation of a virtual computer model.
The sculpture’s structural engineer, Tim Lucas, said building RISE was like “putting together a big model kit. …Designing and building structures like RISE is tremendous fun, if quite daunting on this scale. I’d like to think that RISE might inspire children putting together the latest model kits with their families over Christmas to be the next generation of engineers.
“We are able to build virtual computer models of structures like this before anything real is made. We can simulate the effects of wind and snow on the sculpture to ensure it will stand up, whatever the weather throws at it. Each of the over 3,000 parts were made with perfect accuracy using robotic fabrication machines.”
Belfast Mayor Niall O’Donnghaile said: “RISE is a truly magnificent structure – a new icon and a symbol for the new Belfast. It symbolises a rising city – one looking to each new dawn with hope and confidence…”
The council said the project had helped sustain 140 jobs.