"Above Below Beneath Above" occupies Market Street Tower's entrance with 56 steel columns rising 15 meters from pavement to ceiling. Each column twists differently-varying in form, orientation, and curvature-producing an undulating vertical field. The columns derive from seven base geometries, each engineered to appear unique from all viewing angles. Elliptical cross-sections vary along each column's length, generating organic forms through mathematical control. Sixteen compound polyhedra suspend among the columns: purple glass cores with pentagonal faces, surrounded by steel frames combining triangles and squares. The installation responds to Toyo Ito's building design, bridging Singapore's urban grid and the tower's foyer. Water pressure forming shaped the steel columns from CNC-milled molds.
Research: Seven base geometries generate 56 visually distinct columns through orientation and installation variations. Each base geometry: a twisted form with elliptical cross-sections varying along its length. The design ensures any orientation works structurally-columns can install upright, inverted, or rotated. Elliptical cross-section variations produce organic appearance through mathematical control. Water pressure forming required curvature limits compatible with steel's material properties-too sharp and the metal tears, too gentle and the form loses character. CNC-milled molds define each geometry precisely. The compound polyhedra combine pentagonal cores (purple glass) with triangular-square frames (steel), functioning as lighting fixtures distributed among the columns.
Photography: Studio Olafur Eliasson, Juliane Eirich
olafureliasson.net
