How to Build a Sphere Out of Cubes, 2018 – Olafur Elíasson

Two open geometric structures, situated at the outer extremes of an elliptical lawn, engage in a formal dialogue with one another across the lawn, marking out an open, public space on the campus – itself a site for dialogue. Each form is a light structure made of brushed stainless steel: the one is a human-sized cube from which one corner has been removed and the other is a pavilion-scaled stellated polyhedron composed of sixty identical modules. The cubic sculpture forms the basis for the spherical work, acting as an aid to understanding the geometry of the more complex form across the lawn. The triangular mirror that cuts across the cube's missing corner indicates one side of the module, while within the sphere, identical mirror triangles form one side of each module, providing the link that allows viewers to map the relationship between the two forms.

Research:
The research involved mathematical analysis of the relationship between cubic and spherical forms and the modular system demonstrating construction of stellated polyhedra from sixty identical units. Geometric principles underlying the transformation from cubic to spherical geometries and the role of triangular mirror elements in establishing visual connections were examined.