Urban Systems Feature Wall

The Client

Urban Systems is a professional consulting firm committed to supporting vibrant communities with offices all over Western Canada. In 2020, they expanded their office space inside a downtown Victoria heritage building under the direction of Studio 531 Architects.

The Challenge

Our task was to create a beautiful and meaningful installation at the back of the new addition, to serve as an interesting backdrop for meetings and socializing as well as a talking piece to break the ice with new clients. Using our algorithmic processes in combination with the brand colours (fire engine red and pale blue), we set to work designing something entirely unique.

Our Approach

The design process started with a sound-bite (a crowd giving a standing ovation), from which we extracted the shapes of the frequency waves and translated them into a slowly-morphing complex wave shape for the final piece. The applause as a starting point represents the impeccable customer service provided by Urban Systems, a characteristic of the business they’re very proud of. Each of the 120 fins was painted red on one side and blue on the other, creating a mid-tone gradient effect that changes with the position of the sun.

The Result

The final installation is mesmerizing to look at, changing colours as users walk from one side to the other. It achieves its purpose of inviting people into the meeting space and also acts as a prominent feature element, anchoring this corner of the room.