Artist:

Installed:

 300 North Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27701  (map)

About the Artist:

Volkan Alkanoglu is a designer based in Portland, Oregon. His work is focused on the pursuit of novel form through spatial, material, and technological explorations. 

Volkan was selected from over 200 artists and engaged closely with the Durham community to develop a design concept.  He conducted a survey facilitated by the library administration that received over 1,000 responses. This helped gather insights into the community's favorite authors and books from citizens of all ages, such as 'The Color Purple' by Alice Walker and 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' by Crockett Johnson.  His resulting design incorporates the actual color purple, creates a unique sense of place, and playfully celebrates the Library’s mission to encourage STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math).

As an educator, Volkan previously served as the Director for Graduate Studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta design faculty at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles, and lecturer at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in Cambridge.  He is a LEED Accredited Professional in the US and is currently commissioned on a range of projects in California, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, and Texas.

Recent work has been permanently installed in several institutions within the United States, including Clemson University, Boston - Clippership Wharf, University of Maryland in Baltimore, Yeshiva Museum in New York, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, University of Oregon in Eugene, Salt Lake Community College, Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Washington Metropolitan Police Training Facility, Fort Lewis College in Durango and the University of Colorado in Denver.

You can see more of Volkan's amazing artwork here

About the Fabricator:

Branch Technology is a prefabrication and technology company based in Tennessee that specializes in large scale 3D printing. They use a patented 3D printing process called Cellular Fabrication, C-Fab®. This unique printing method allows the material to solidify in open space, creating a polymer matrix in virtually any shape. The construction and technology company is inspired by nature and uses its process to build sustainably and efficiently through hardware and software prefabrication innovations.

"The geometry of this design is very complex, and we had to create some new algorithms and establish unique capabilities, but our team of computer scientists and robotic experts was excited about this task," says Melody Rees, who oversaw production as the Director of Design and Project Management at Branch Technology.

Utilizing a fleet of 6-axis robots, the project was 3D printed with carbon and ABS filament within a few weeks at the company's advanced manufacturing facility. The 3D print consists of structural cells forming a large space frame structure. Robotic 3D printing allows for new unexplored design opportunities, creating a series of geometrical and visual effects while appearing lightweight yet volumetric. These new digital fabrication capabilities produce novel opportunities and measurable benefits in the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation processes that were not imaginable just a few years ago.

You can see more of Branch Technology's projects here