Water Sky Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Water Sky Garden |
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| Artist | Janet Echelman |
| Year | 2009–2010 |
| Type | TENARA brand PTFE fiber |
| Location | Richmond Olympic Oval, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada |
Water Sky Garden is a cool outdoor art project. It was created by artist Janet Echelman. You can find it outside the Richmond Olympic Oval. This building was used for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. The garden has a special pond that cleans water. It also has a long boardwalk, two bridges, and two amazing net sculptures. There's even a fountain!
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Designing the Water Sky Garden
The design of the garden's boardwalk and "sky lanterns" was inspired by the people of Richmond. Richmond has many immigrants, especially from Asia. The boardwalk looks like the movements of a Dragon dance. This dance is often seen in Chinese festivals.
Other gardens in Vancouver, like the Nitobe Memorial Garden, also helped inspire the design. The paths, ponds, and overall look of the garden were carefully planned. The boardwalk was made to encourage people to slow down and enjoy the view.
How the Garden Cleans Water
The pond in the garden collects rainwater. This water comes from the roof of the Oval building and the area around it. The pond then cleans the water. This clean water is used to water the plants in the garden. It also provides clean water for the Oval building. Finally, any extra water flows into the nearby Fraser River. A fountain on the south side of the garden helps keep the pond water fresh.
The Amazing Sky Lanterns
The "sky lanterns" are giant nets. They are made from a special material called PTFE fiber that resists sunlight. Strong steel rings hold these nets up. At night, lights under the water make the lanterns glow. The boardwalk also lights up with LED spotlights.
The eastern lantern is the biggest, about 75 feet wide. Its net hangs down 25 feet. The northern lantern is 52 feet wide. Its net is also 25 feet deep, with a 14-foot "tail" that reaches towards the pond. The garden was designed so you can look at the nets or look right through them. This way, your view of the Oval building and the garden is not blocked.
Using Computers to Create Art
Creating these sculptures started with a 3D computer model. Special software was used to make the shapes. Then, these shapes were put into CAD software. This helped define the exact size and surfaces of the sculptures.
The digital models were then tested in a special simulator. This simulator showed how the sculptures would react to wind and gravity. This helped the artists figure out how strong the net material needed to be. Finally, detailed drawings were made. These drawings showed how to weave the nets, what colors to use, and how long each part should be.
Images for kids
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Snowy day at Water Sky Garden
