Meacham Airport, Fort Worth, TX
Collective Transitions plays off of our perceptions of the whimsy and magic of flight. Lightheartedly referencing the function of “paperwork” in both work and play, it demonstrates the interplay between man-made forms and natural movement. Hundreds of aerodynamic objects transitioning from traditional aircraft to classic hand-folded paper planes, gracefully flocking like birds inside the confines of a business environment, acknowledges our memory of place while implying the social narratives that can occur within it. The installation includes 800 individually folded metal planes suspended within the 40’ x 40 x 40’ three-story entrance lobby animated by an LED lighting array.
Meacham Airport was originally the main commercial air terminal for the City of Fort Worth. In 1953, all commercial traffic moved to Amon Carter Field and since that time it has been used primarily for corporate aircraft, commuter flights and student pilot training. The redesign of the building in 2017 was intended to accommodate these existing uses and to expand the support and management operations on the site with additional office and meeting spaces as well as a spacious three-story atrium.
The goals of the design team were to include artwork that would be symbolic of the airport and its operations, be engaging to visitors and that would serve as a visible icon from the adjacent highway. Additionally, the artwork would need to address the volume of the three-story space in a manner that would form a single coherent narrative with the building design and that would provide distinct daytime and nighttime experiences. Extensive conversations between the artist and architect focused on the visual comparisons between aviary structures and the design of the glass enclosed main lobby and how this relationship could be exploited to capture the essence of the building’s current functions.
Photography: Ralph Lauer Photography