Aurora: Heliostat Array Kinetic Sculpture (2019)

Aurora is a kinetic sculpture, an array of 40 mirrors each able to tilt in two axes, to track the sun movement as a heliostat and to enable artistic lighting with the sun, a project initiated and led by the artist blausand. My role was initial prototype design, project coordination during the fast-paced project sprints, electronic implementation and all aspects software besides the animations. Many others helped in the projects development, the website is http://aurora.blausand.net.

Vision:

The name and shape of the project stems from the former Aurora grain mill, situated on the Köln Poll harbour front. The entire harbour area is currently being redeveloped, with the mill’s building and facade being conserved as architectural landmarks. The driving vision is to create a larger version (ø 8-10 m) to be installed it on the former mill’s facade to replace the fading original logo. The heliostats would then be able to bring light to the other bank of river Rhine, known for their “crane buildings” that, being on the west bank, do not get to enjoy sunlight until sunset- Dial 0900-Sunshine!

2019: Initial Prototype

With a bit of design guidance of of a friend, we built a first rough prototype based on 3D-printed universal joints and material scraps.

CCCamp 2019: Prototype Construction

We built a first complete prototype on-site during the Chaos Communication Camp 2019. Arriving with blausand and a single-channel prototype to camp setup, we ordered 100 servo motors from China and set to work. Helped by a handful of volunteering camp participants, we went from a single-channel prototype to a full 40 mirror array in only two weeks, often collaborating with local enterprises. We designed and constructed a frame from scrap aluminium extrusions, a suitable low-cost motor integration (x 80), and cut over 40 mirrors at the wonderful Glaserei Elsner.

2021 Nichtgeburtstag

Work continued in 2021, implementing a comprehensive controller software and mounting Aurora for the second time in public as part of a night club’s summer closing and anniversary party. With the late timing in October, there were only a few sunny moments. The sculpture held up to the elements for several weeks, though the original mechanical linkage started to show signs of wear.

2022: Redesign of the Mechanical Linkage

In collaboration with PSDM design management, we overhauled the mechanical connection between mirrors and frame/servos, based on custom machined parts and lubrication-free bearing components.

CCCamp 2023: Redesign of the Electrical Interconnect

The Chaos Computer Club invited us again to Chaos Communication Camp, taking place every four years. We seized the opportunity to do a major overhaul on the electrical interconnect, consolidating the main wire runs into multi-core cables and waterproofing the distribution and interconnnect cables. We were placed as one of the central light installations on the tower again; unfortunately, little sunlight footage was captured. We ran the sculpture off solar-charged batteries for the first time.

Berlin Science Week 2023 at Holzmarkt

We were also invited to present Aurora at the Art & Science Forum of the Falling Wall Foundation’s Berlin Science Week, which was hosted by the Holzmarkt 25 at the banks of the River Spree. Taking place in late Fall again, sunshine hours were limited, but it was a scenic venue with a very exposed and prominent mounting spot. For the first time, we hung it purely with hands and a pulley, not relying on a forklift or crane. The overhauled sculpture worked without a hitch.

2024: 38c3 - Chaos Communication Congress

I always wanted to bring Aurora to Congress, and in 2024 my wish came true. Congress moved back to Hamburg, to Germany’s biggest congress center the CCH, and we were placed on the roof terrace. The sculpture faced the south-easter glass facade with its long, high belvedere, and thus backwards to the sun — but since the Congress takes place basically over winter solstice, this mean Aurora could be kind of a substitute sun with the 1 kW LED moving head.

(photos partially by blausand)