Calculated Tension

For a small city, Grand Rapids has more sculptures than most large metro cities. On a clear day, this is my favorite, B-Tree II  by sculptor, photographer, and mathematician Kenneth Nelson   It is about nature in its most fundamental aspect, the patterns of physical forces in three dimensional space. 


B-Tree II is a site-specific commission that utilizes geometry, mathematics and engineering in referencing the natural world. Based on patterning systems using the number three and triangles, the giant  structure utilizes  calculated tension of the stainless steel cords to lock the tubular elements up and into space.