El Camino Hospital's 'Light Forest' sculpture brings natural light to life
El Camino Hospital opened a state-of-the-art facility in Mountain View, Calif., pioneering new approaches to patient comfort, convenience and safety. Andrea Schwartz Gallery in San Francisco engaged Gordon Huether to design a sculpture to enhance the architectural space and engage visitors with the facility.
"Light Forest," fabricated with glass tubes, mirrored stainless steel and ribbons of dichroic glass, was inspired by the complex variability of human DNA codes. As the viewer passes by the installation, light dances and plays with the artwork, creating a constantly transforming pattern of color, reflection, refraction and light, activating the surrounding space.
Huether believes that artwork placed in health care environments should have subtle and contemplative qualities, creating a sense of calm. At the same time, the artwork should be thought-provoking, engaging and communicate something relevant to the viewer. In this case, mission accomplished.
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