Inveresk Design Forum | Circa Morris-Nunn + Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Art Tower is a proposal for a 117 metre high climable tower, which Robert Morris- Nunn explains is “designed around the challenge and experience ofclimbing up and down its 1,300-plus individual steps – 650 ascending and 650 descending – making the physical exertion an integral part of the experience.”

The Art Tower was commissioned by the Detached Cultural Organization, and presented as part of Dark Mofo in 2016. The Art Tower was envisaged to be installedon a 5,000 square metre site in Hobart’s CBD, formerly the site of the Mercury newspaper, with 360-degree panoramic views over the city and surrounding natural landscape. The proposal was founded on strong links between art and science, with the intention to gather data about population health and scientific research.

A proposed partnership with the Menzies Research Institute would involve the collection of health and bio data, such as heart rates and other health indicators.The Art Tower was design by Robert Morris-Nunn and David Johnston of CIRCA, working with legendary engineer Jim Gandy, to create a “central lifting core that would hydraulically raise and stack each level of prefabricated steel, creating a vertical assembly without the use of a crane.”

A temporary lighting installation, Pulse Column by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer marked the site of the proposed tower during June 2015. The temporary installation drew on Lozano-Hemmer’s broader practice that includes public participation, data collection and audio-visual expression.

A film of the project proposal will be presented, outlining the ideas for this very interesting large-scale interactive public artwork.