New station sculpture sets Sydney on the world stage
Sydney's Wynyard railway station has unveiled a breathtaking new public sculpture to overwhelming public approval and admiration.
Designed by Sydney contemporary artist Chris Fox, the sculpture is a nod to the past of the historic train station as it undergoes a billion dollar redevelopment in the heart of the Sydney CBD.
As one of the city’s busiest train stations in the city, the sculpture will be seen and enjoyed daily by 100,000 commuters a day when the upgrade is complete.
“These large-scale projects are crucial if Sydney wants to be operating as a world class city,”
Chris Fox
The sculpture is named “Interloop” and is made from the original heritage wooden escalators treads that date back to 1931. They were removed and upgraded to become part of the stations new grand transit hall and public concourse.
Fox designed the sculpture using four combs of escalator track measuring 50 metres, mounted onto an aluminium form and suspended from the ceiling, criss-crossing in gigantic swirling motions above the heads of commuters as they pass through the station.
“Wynyard escalators were really an important part of urban planning and design for Sydney,” says Fox. “So the inspiration is really about throughout peoples’ day – they pause, moving through space and time travel.”
The project has had an overwhelmingly positive response from the public, many of whom travelled on those very treads for years (with some having to yank their high heels from the old timber crevices!).
The forms we constructed off site and brought to the station in pieces before being suspended in place.
“These timber treads are something quite unique for Sydneysiders because a lot of people see them as a very romantic part of the city," says Fox.
"‘Interloop’ is in a space that people travel every day. They’re not expecting a visual arts project, they’re not expecting something that’s poetic above them."
Chris Fox
Watch the time lapse video here on Chris Fox’s Instagram:
