Shaping connections. Interactive sculptures that bring public spaces to life

Introduction

We create playful, interactive sculptures that transform public spaces into vibrant experiences. Inspired by nature and cognitive science, our work explores connections from the human iris to the Milky Way. This fascination with the dialogue between the micro and the macro drives us to merge parametric design, digital fabrication, and technologies such as solar cells, sensors, and lighting, turning everyday urban moments into something magical.

Our installations encourage people to move, touch, explore and connect. In our studio, experimentation is ongoing, whether with new materials, fabrication techniques or emerging technologies. Collaboration is at the heart of our process, bringing together architects, engineers, programmers, musicians and fabricators worldwide. Over the past 20 years, we have completed 40 interactive installations across the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia, each sparking curiosity, inspiring participation and strengthening the bond between people and the spaces they share.

Featured Works

Heart of the Park

Heart of the Park is a permanent interactive artwork located in Northwest Park, within the Riversedge neighbourhood of Jacksonville, Florida. It connects the human heartbeat with the Earth’s natural pulses. When visitors engage with it, the Heart synchronizes with their heartbeat, turning it into a luminous pulse that illuminates the seat and radiates across the park. This collective rhythm fosters an intimate connection among those seated, enabling them to sense and share each other’s presence.

Originally designed as a temporary piece for Vivid Sydney a decade ago, we adapted and refined the design for permanent installation, establishing a lasting gathering point for shared experiences.

Interlace

Along the Riversedge in Northwest Park, Jacksonville, we created Interlace, six interconnected swings designed to activate the space through play and interaction. Inspired by the organic weave of human muscles, the sculptural form encourages movement and connection. Each swing seats five to six people, enabling them to share motion and conversation. Integrated lighting adds a soft glow that responds to movement, enhancing the atmosphere and inviting participation even after dark.

Solar Hive

Solar Hive is an immersive, self-sustaining installation conceived as a living, autonomous organism. Its skin, embedded with solar cells, collects energy during the day and transforms into a glowing media façade by night, radiating vibrant hexagonal patterns of light. Built from recycled translucent materials, the structure embodies sustainability while offering a sensory journey. Inside, shifting colours and light invite exploration, blending art and technology. By uniting renewable energy, recycled design, and interactive experience, Solar Hive showcases the creative potential of a future where sustainability and imagination thrive together.

Spiral Loop and Trinity Loop

Spiral Loop and Trinity Loop are permanent artworks designed for schoolchildren, encouraging movement, curiosity and playful exploration. Their dynamic forms invite climbing, balancing, and imaginative play, helping children in developing mobility skills, sensory awareness and social interaction.

The concept draws from the spiral forms found throughout the universe – from the Sun’s orbit around the Milky Way to planets circling the Sun, to the double helix of DNA and its hexagonal molecular patterns. These recurring shapes, both cosmic and microscopic, symbolize the interconnectedness at the core of our work.

Embraced Loop

Embraced Loop is a national HIV and AIDS monument located in Phoenix Park, Dublin, honoured with the 2024 Merit Landscape Coda Award by @codaworx.

Inspired by the red ribbon, its parametric loop symbolizes solidarity, remembrance and celebration. The metal sculpture’s flowing curves form suspended seats that encourage community, connection and reflection, transforming heaviness into hope.

Vibrant Meridian

Vibrant Meridian, located at the Marcy-SUNY Parkway roundabout in New York, marks the entrance to Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab. Inspired by wide bandgap semiconductors used in EVs, 5G, and renewable energy, the sculpture’s dynamic form of curved steel sticks painted with gradient colours symbolizes technological innovation and offers a vibrant visual experience for passing drivers.

Conclusion

Across continents and contexts, our sculptures transform public spaces into places of connection – between people, between humans and nature, and between the micro and macro patterns of existence. Each installation is an invitation to pause, interact, and experience the beauty of shared presence. Through the use of sustainable materials, innovative technologies, and collaborative creation, we continue to shape environments where art is not just observed but lived.

Recommended citation: FRANCO, Anaisa. Shaping connections. Interactive sculptures that bring public spaces to life. Mosaic [online], September 2025, no. 205. ISSN: 1696-3296. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7238/m.n205.2511