South Branch, North Fork + Puddles
Cris Bruch
Brightwater
Follow stormwater runoff from the roof to the ground in these complementary sculptures that highlight the ways people and nature move water.
Cris Bruch designed three stainless steel sculptures for the Brightwater Education and Community Center that capture stormwater runoff and channel it to the ground. Each of the sculptures was inspired by the ways water flows through nature and similar human-made structures. In particular, Bruch observed how water moved through intricate industrial plumbing installations and how it seeped from a cut grapevine over several days.
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Located at the Center’s north and south entrances, the elaborate forms made of common plumbing parts carry water from the roof to the landscape below. South Branch is organic, like the grapevine and other natural branching structures. North Fork is more geometric, referencing schematics for collection and distribution systems in our built environment. Puddles, installed beneath South Branch, brings the presence of water to mind, invoking ripples and rain.
This was an opportunity to make a passive water feature, one that was only working if the water was running from the sky. In a 25-year rain, that roof will be shedding 5,000 gallons of water in a 24-hour period. That’s a lot of water. –Cris Bruch
About the LocationBrightwater
Science, art, design, and ecology come together at Brightwater, one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world. Located north of Woodinville, WA, Brightwater comprises a park, a community gathering space, an exhibition hall, and a scientific learning laboratory in addition to the structures that house technical operations. Throughout the site, integrated and portable…
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