Contact

Alluvion among the paths and meadow planting at Dune Peninsula.

Public art / 11

Alluvion

We fabricated steel pipe sections for Adam Kuby’s Alluvion at Dune Peninsula in Tacoma.

Dune Peninsula · Tacoma
Artistic concept: Adam Kuby Fabrication: Western Iron Works
The project
Artistic concept
Adam Kuby
Location
Dune Peninsula · Tacoma, WA
Fabrication
Western Iron Works
Year
2017

The artist’s idea

The old smelter site

Adam Kuby’s Alluvion starts with one upright steel pipe and spreads into rows of smaller pieces across Dune Peninsula.

The full pipe recalls the 562-foot smokestack of the ASARCO copper smelter that once stood nearby. The spreading pieces refer to both the metal produced there and the arsenic and heavy metals carried across the region.

As the sculpture gets lower and more dispersed, it echoes the site’s change from an industrial landscape to a public park. Paths and meadow planting allow visitors to walk among the steel pieces.

Adam Kuby · Artist & concept

01 /

Nine lengths of pipe

The sculpture began with nine steel pipes, each 21 feet long and 24" in diameter. The first was left whole. Each following row doubles the number of pieces: two, four, eight, and onward to 256 in the last row.

Pipe sections arranged in rows, with smaller pieces farther down the installation.
The full-height pipe in place before the surrounding park was landscaped.
02 /

Welding on site

The connections between the curved pipe sections and their steel supports are visible here, before the surrounding ground was finished.

Welding a connection between a curved pipe section and its steel support.
The larger pipe sections during installation.
03 /

Laying out the rows

The full pattern is easy to see before the paths and planting go in. These installation views show how the rows spread out from the upright pipe.

A view across the installation showing the rows spreading out from the upright pipe.

The smallest sections form long, low rows along the waterfront side of the installation.

Working along the rows of smaller pipe sections near the waterfront.
04 /

Alluvion in the park

The steel has weathered over time. Paths and grasses now run between the pieces, giving visitors room to walk through the sculpture.

The smaller steel pieces, with the upright pipes beyond.

Next project

Ribbon of Light

Next project
CONTACT WESTERN IRON WORKS

Tell us about
your project.

Send a drawing, a sketch or a few photos. We’ll talk through the details with you.

Get in touch503-530-8969