Compass

The interior concourse of Bellevue City Hall terminates with a classic Northwest view of sky and mountains. That view, along with Bellevue’s history of boating and compass manufacturing, gave artist Alan Storey the inspiration for this precise geometric aluminum and stainless steel sculpture, which runs the entire height of the building’s exterior. Using the visual language of nautical navigation instruments—such as the compass, sextant and spectroscope—the slender, silver form connects the building’s balcony to the ground below.

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Like much of Storey’s artwork, Compass is kinetic and interactive. The building’s front doors send a signal to a viewfinder mounted on the balcony’s guardrail. Every time the doors open and close, the piece moves to frame a slightly different point and direction—a reminder that each person who enters City Hall contributes a unique point of view. Meanwhile, the mirror-like surfaces of the sculpture reflect its surroundings, bringing the viewer into the landscape and the landscape onto the balcony.