Redmond Archives - David Franklin

"Raven's Escape" with Preston Singletary at the new Microsoft Campus in Redmond WA.

Creating “Raven’s Escape” for Microsoft’s new campus

It has been a great honor to work with Preston Singletary to make “Raven’s Escape” for the new Microsoft Campus in Redmond, Washington. Preston is a great craftsmen, collaborator and friend. His work explores native modernism, and native futurism through his studio glasswork. He explores these themes with his native funk rock and jazz fusion band KHU.ÉEX’.

Lumiere Group approached Preston to create an outdoor installation for the new Microsoft campus. This part of the campus is designed by Berger Associates and is constructed by Skanska.

Preston and I discussed the idea of a modernist series of totems for the campus. Themes of technology, light and ideas taking flight came to mind. Preston felt that Raven filled with light would be the perfect subject for the idea.

Inspiration for “Raven’s Escape”

3 Terns Totem in Mink Bay Alaska — 3 Terns Totem in Alaska

This totem carved many years ago for a client in Alaska became the basis for the concept. Groups of Ravens in flight above the forest thread pathways. We thought the Ravens could be modular and repeatable. They are able to be manipulated to give each Raven a unique pose. Together we designed a series of three poles, with each post having a different configuration of Ravens. The posts vary in height from 20 to 30 feet tall. The Ravens are lit from within, and are lined with cobalt blue Bullseye sheet glass.

Raven's Escape basic configuration — Raven’s Escape basic configuration

Designing the modern Raven

In order build the Ravens I drew upon my airplane mechanic school airframe experience. I designed the interior of the birds to be like an airplane’s fuselage complete with ribs and bulkheads. Eleanor Reynolds, at RBHU engineers, helps make sure they are built to last.

Modeling Raven

A basic design led to making some chipboard laser cut parts. With these I built a scale model complete with lights.

model with lighting test — Raven model with lighting

Fabrication Begins

The metalwork is all done at Specialty Metals. They have been a great partner on public art projects. The digital modeling was completed by Alec Burney at Neon Fab Studios. Most of he machines and programs used to cut the metal for the project run on Microsoft Windows technology.

The poles that the birds will be mounted on are fabricated and installed well before the Ravens. They needed to be integrated into the groundwork on site.

Once fabricated, Specialty Metals delivers the poles to the jobsite. A crow decided to land on the pole and perform an inspection.

Crow inspecting poles — Crow inspects pole. Photo by Robert Bogue at the Luminere Group.

Assembling Raven

Each Raven’s bodies are a welded assembly. The head and wings are bolted on for access to the interior lights and cleaning. The heads are designed to be rotated to different angles providing each raven with a unique pose. The Raven’s wings are bent to a variety of angles to give the look of natural flight.

Raven Heads — Raven heads photo by Specialty Metals

Raven assembled — The first Raven gets assembled

Matt Gilman welder extraordinaire who assembled the Ravens for Specialty Metals

Matt Gilman of Specialty metals is a true metal artisan. He has worked on several projects for myself and Preston and did a great job of welding and managing all the parts. This task is complex due to slight variations in the different birds. Ryan Gleason, Mike Gribble, and Mason Eddy helped make the project successful on the fabrication end at Specialty Metals.

Sean Albert from Preston Singletary's Studio installing glass — Sean Albert from Preston Singletary’s Studio installing glass

Sean Albert from Preston’s studio, a great glass artist in his own right, is alway there to help me. We worked together for the final assembly and glass installation. Lance at Glass Strategies laminated and prepared the glass for water jet cutting at Specialty Metals.

Installing “Raven’s Escape” at the Microsoft Campus

Installation day had finally come to install “Raven’s Escape.” Thanks to the planning and support from Skanska, the Lumiere Group and Microsoft the installation went almost without a hitch. As we waited for a crane to arrive, our crow friend stopped by to witness the scene.

Preston doing the final touches before the ravens are installed — Preston makes the final touches just before the Ravens get installed

Sean Albert and Preston Singletary ready the Ravens for flight

Installation complete

This pole with the singular Raven on top stands over 30' tall — This pole with the singular Raven on top stands over 30′ tall

Raven's Escape at the new Microsoft Campus — Raven’s Escape at the new Microsoft Campus

Raven's Escape at Microsoft in Redmond Washington — Raven’s Escape at Microsoft in Redmond Washington

The installation at night, photo by Lumiere Group

Ravens at night photo by the Lumiere Group

The installation was a big success thanks to everyone who supported and worked on the project. It is exciting to be a part of Microsoft’s new campus. Preston and I had a great experience working with all of our partners: Microsoft, RBHU, Neon Fab Studios, Skanska, Berger Partnership, Lumiere Group, Specialty Metals, Glass Strategies, Sean Albert and Matt Gilman. Thanks to our wives Joanne Franklin and Åsa Sandlund, and our families, for all their support in exploring what’s possible with our hands and imaginations.

You can learn more about our collaborative work here and here.

David Franklin

New architectural art installation at Spectra Apartments Redmond, Washington

Reflective Ripple Balconies at Spectra Apartments

Inspiration

The inspiration for this project started with a scrap of aluminum from the model for the “Rippling Wall” , the award winning facade of Fire Station 21 In Portland Oregon. This project was the first project I worked on with architect, and professor of architecture at Portland State University, Aaron Whelton.

View of Portland Oregon's Fire Station 21from the Madison Street pier — View of Portland Oregon’s Fire and Rescue Station 21 from the Madison Street pier

The Inspiration

This is the working model for the facade of the Fire Station 21. Made by Kurt Nordquist at Davinci’s Workshop, my fabricator at the time. More about this project can be found here.

Leftover scrap from making the model for Fire Station 21 in Portland Oregon

This is the leftover scrap of aluminum from building the preliminary model for the Fire Station.

Something about the graphic nature of this scrap seemed to have some potential. Several years later it resurfaced in my mind when Nine Dot Arts brought me this opportunity.

I was contacted by Nine Dot Art Consulting about designing art balconies for a new apartment complex. After attempting a few different approaches this piece of metal came to mind.

With Denise Joseph of Nine Dot Arts, we worked with Brad Machat and Peter van Overbeek of Quarterra. Together we designed the look of the balconies. They were to be fabricated by Advanced Ironworks in Redmond, Washington.

It would take a few versions before settling on the final medium and finish.

Photoshop rendering of the balconies in the twilight

Modelling

Protype for the finish of the Reflective Ripple balconies

This mirror finished, stainless steel look was what was eventually settled on as perfect approach.

I made a half sized balcony model with he help of Joel Kikuchi at Oxbow Fabrication in Seattle.

Fabrication

Fabrication and final trouble shooting were next. There were several revisions to the graphics to get the panels just right. Finally, we were able to look at the first one, with its protective coating on. The design team met at Advanced ironworks and Peter van Overbeek got to be the first one to try out the balcony.

Inspecting the first
balcony at Advanced Ironworks

Installation

By late April 2023 the first few balconies had been installed. By the summer of 2023 all 16 balconies were be up at the beautiful Spectra Apartments near Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington.

Side view of a selection of balconies at Spectra Apartments

Thanks to everyone who helped make this project a reality.