Tern Wings Sculpture
Tern Wings is a steel polished sculpture part of the newly funded ‘Bord Waalk’ along the Amble coastline.
Project Overview
Tern Wings is a polished steel sculpture forming part of the Bord Waalk along the Amble coastline. Artist and designer Jon Voss took inspiration from the endangered Roseate Tern, which nests just off the coast.
The four-metre marine grade stainless steel structure has been hand-beaten and finished with seven different types of polish, creating a striking landmark.
Our role was to provide the structural design to ensure robustness in a public setting. This included accounting for eccentric forces within the sculpture, tensile actions at the base, and devising a safe method for lifting and installation.
Public Art Installation.
Jon Voss (Artist & Designer), The Home Engineers (Structural)
Structural Engineering Services, Steel Connection Design.
Project Challenges
Unlike traditional buildings, the sculpture presented unique structural challenges. Its eccentric form created complex force paths, while the requirement for a slender, continuous profile limited options for hidden reinforcement.
As a public artwork in a coastal environment, durability and robustness were critical considerations.
The forces at the base due to eccentricity created bending and tensile actions that needed careful resolution. In addition, lifting and rotating the sculpture into position safely posed its own engineering challenge.
The Solution
We designed the supporting elements to resist bending and axial compression through the arch structure.
Tensile forces at the base plate were transferred through stainless steel bars anchored deep into the foundation, inducing and balancing tensile action within the concrete.
To overcome the challenge of lifting, we developed a bespoke solution using four lifting eyes positioned at the corners.
A UC section lifting frame was fabricated to provide additional support and mass, preventing unwanted rotation during installation. This ensured both stability and safety while maintaining the sculpture’s visual purity.
The Outcome
The completed sculpture is both an elegant tribute to the Roseate Tern and a robust public landmark able to withstand environmental loads and visitor interaction.
The careful integration of structural design allowed Jon Voss’s artistic vision to be realised without compromise.
The project was awarded the IStructE Structural Artistry Award, recognising the successful balance of creative design and engineering innovation.