Fin Facade
Oxford Street, London
Building architect: John McAslan & Partners
Engineer: Whitby Bird & Partners, London
2004-under construction

The artwork is integrated with structural glass fins in a small speculative office building on London's Oxford Street. Two facades, one on Oxford Street facing north, and the second larger facade on a small side street facing west, are combined into a single expression by the use of a two-dimensional pattern overlaid onto the three dimensions of the building itself. This process of anamorphosis is used to produce a series of apparently horizontal lines (when viewed in two dimensions) created from the spaces between segments of intense blue colour and reflectivity within the fins. The range of daylighting conditions produces an array of effects from intense transmitted colour to reflected light that interacts with the facade surface itself.

The process of collaboration with architect, contractor and client has produced an extremely integrated and subtle work. The uses the structural properties of the fins to maximise the effect of the light conditions.