New Data Science Sculpture Is 'More Than Just an Art Piece'
One of the most compelling features visitors will notice at the new home of the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science is its data sculpture, an interactive experience where anyone, whether a trained data scientist or not, can engage with data.
The sculpture hangs from a skylight and can be viewed from every floor and every angle of the central staircase.
The piece was designed as a column of 20 casements, with data flowing vertically through LED lights up the length of the approximately 40-foot-tall sculpture.
Visitors will be able to choose a data set from an interactive screen located on the building’s first floor and then view the story in a visually compelling way.
The initial preloaded data sets cover a wide range of issues, including the spread of COVID-19, the rise in global temperatures, and gun violence incidents.
Designed by SoSo Limited and built by Hypersonic, the sculpture aims to transform the atrium into an area where data is not just analyzed but also “felt and experienced,” according to Yaxuan Liu, the creative lead on the project for SoSo Limited.
“This sculpture is more than just an art piece. It’s a living, breathing representation of the vibrancy and impact of data in our lives,” he said.
Bill Washabaugh, founder and lead designer at Hypersonic, explained how the design of the sculpture aims for a minimal presentation, with little refinement, allowing the data to tell the story.
“We’re sort of treating the sculpture, physically, the same way a scientist might treat their data,” he said.
He added that crafting the data sculpture and its unique design proved to be a challenging but rewarding experience.
“It’s playing a lot with materials, playing a lot with form, doing a long of computer modeling, and, ultimately, coming into the shop and putting things together,” Washabaugh explained. “And that’s what I really like to do.”
The data sculpture will not be the only artwork in the new building. Art submissions in a variety of formats from the eight finalists in the inaugural Data is ART competition will also be prominently displayed. An award ceremony and presentation is set for May 8.
The grand opening of the new home of the School of Data Science will be held April 26 and included a digital ribbon-cutting, community celebration, and remarks from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin; UVA President Jim Ryan; Phil Bourne, founding dean of the School of Data Science; Robert Hardie, rector of UVA’s Board of Visitors; Jaffray Woodriff, trustee of the Quantitative Foundation; Prem Natarajan, chief scientist and head of enterprise artificial intelligence for Capital One; and Navya Annapareddy, a doctoral student at the School of Data Science.
Contributing: Alyssa Brown and Cody Huff
