Retro Rocketship Joining SF’s Waterfront Soon
Degenkolb Engineers is assisting with the “Raygun Gothic Rocketship” public art installation, which will arrive at San Francisco’s Embarcadero in August. Following approval by the San Francisco Port Commission last week, The Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) plans to bring the temporary installation to Pier 14 near Mission Street. It will last 14 months and will be accompanied by a descriptive exhibit.
Mark Sinclair, Degenkolb’s New Technologies Group Principal, has been working with the local artists and crew that brought the sculpture to life, providing structural support. The artists Sean Orlando, Nathaniel Taylor, David Shulman and their crew, Five Ton Crane , are being funded by grants. Degenkolb’s John Leuenberger, Associate Principal, and Insung Kim, Designer, will also be involved in bringing the art to the Embarcadero.
The 8-ton, 40-foot sculpture is designed to look like a retro spaceship from the 30s-40s and was inspired by early science fiction, serving as a nostalgic homage to the era’s love of space travel. The rocketship has also made the rounds, first at Burning Man 2009, then at NASA Ames for Yuri’s Night and finally, at the Maker Faire festival in San Mateo.
Stay tuned for more updates on the exciting project’s progress as it gears up for its San Francisco debut this summer…
