Diffusion Choir
Sosolimted, Plebian Design, Hypersonic
Diffusion Chior celebrates the organic beauty of collaboration by visualizing the movements of an invisible flock of birds. Four hundred folding elements form a hanging volume in the sunlit atrium. Each element can independently open and close, controlled by custom software running a flocking algorithm.
The movements of the sculpture are perpetually evolving, driven by the flocking simulation. Over the course of each hour, smaller groups of birds coalesce into a single entity, soaring through the air in fluid collaboration. At each quarter hour, the birds gather and perform special choreographed gestures across the sculpture.
The sculpture reflects the collaborative and innovative spirit of the work happening in the building. The graceful breath-like movements of the piece create an open, contemplative space for all the inhabitants of the building to enjoy.
LOCATION: 650 East Kendall Street lobby
Mural
Adam O'Day
Painted on a vent shaft cover outside of Evoo Restaurant, muralist Adam O’Day created a colorful, provocative art piece with vast, vibrant scenery and exquisite detail. Adam is based in Abington, MA and was the winner of Boston’s “Portrait of a City” competition in 2014. The Canal District Kendall is the latest neighborhood to serve as an uncommon canvas for his work.
LOCATION: Outside Evoo Restaurant at 5 Broad Canal Way
Walking the City
John Himmelfarb
BioMed Realty has a longstanding partnership with Art in Giving for the artwork found in public spaces.
About Art in Giving:
Art in Giving raises funds for childhood cancer research through the sale of fine arts. Talented artists exhibit their work with Art in Giving and fifty percent of the purchase price of their artwork sold goes directly to talented cancer researchers working on breakthrough ideas to identify causes of and cures for brain tumors and gliomas. To date, Art in Giving has granted $2 million for cancer research.
LOCATION: 650 E Kendall Street lobby
Neuron
Chris Williams
The inspiration for Nerve Center comes out of the Canal District’s prominence as a technology hub, a nucleus for innovation, and celebrates the transformation that Kendall Square has undergone, from its industrious roots to a life science and technology hub. The powerful structure of Nerve Center echoes the tree-like form of the brain’s network of neurons (nodes) known as the “neuron forest”. It reminds us that Kendall Square’s success is cemented in the network of individuals that have worked together to build a thriving community of talented people focused on common goals.
LOCATION: South Plaza
Mural
Cedric Douglas & Julia Roth
The artists’ creation is a testament to diversity in Cambridge.
In one section of the mural, a Black woman peers at the viewer. On the other side, a white woman gazes upward. Both have feminine features but short hair so as not to be “hyper-sexualized,” Douglas said. Neither is based on a real person. Their oval faces are interrupted by rainbow-colored diamonds that wrap around the structure.
LOCATION: Outside Commonwealth Restaurant at 11 Broad Canal Way
2 Blocks
Innovators for Purpose
“How Much of a Difference Can 2 Blocks From the Most Innovative Square Mile on the Planet Make?
From our research a lot! Cambridge is a booming epicenter for Innovation. However, the City’s opportunities are not equally shared. Too few Cambridge educated youth move towards innovative careers in our own backyard. Our research has shown that greater access to educational opportunities will lead to the change we seek. That said, our educational system was designed for a different era. The incremental top down solutions have not been satisfactory or sufficient. It’s time for a change!”
LOCATION: Termeer Square
Innovation Clock
Sosolimited and Design Communications, Ltd.
The Innovation Clock is a data powered artwork that uses LED lights to visualize unfolding stories of innovation in Kendall Square, Cambridge. The piece uses language analysis algorithms to perpetually listen for Twitter conversations about innovation, and translates them into animated patterns of light at three distinct architectural scales and resolutions.
At the largest scale, a grid of colored spotlights on the building facade forms a scintillating map of activity in the conversation over the last 24 hours.
A synchronous sequence of animations is triggered across the three displays when a new Tweet enters the system, and at the top of each hour. The interconnected surfaces of the artwork transform the building into a timepiece that reflects the conversation about innovation in and beyond Kendall Square.
LOCATION: 450 Kendall Street lobby
Untitled Vibrations
Curtis Williams
Local artist Curtis Williams experiments with abstract art in Canal District Kendall.
”When I’m creating I try to go completely off of how I’m feeling in the present, a sort of meditative state. Creating public works brings new energy, challenges, and inspirations to my work. I was able to use paint rollers and poles for this wall which brought a brand new type of mark making for me that I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with. Art is a form of science to me. In turn I love to add scientific elements to my art hence the patches of stars it gives a stark contrast to the more colorful landscape.”
LOCATION: Henri A. Termeer Square, 300 Athenaeum Street
Canal District Kendall is a 10-acre, award-winning, master-planned development by BioMed Realty.
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