03 Nov Project Spotlight: The ConNectar
The aesthetic and practical benefits of weathering steel make it a great choice for various park, greenway and trail applications. Trees Atlanta recently unveiled their second large-scale public artwork for the Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum, and corten steel took center stage.
The 3-ton corten steel sculpture was designed by local artists Chris Bartlett and Kaylin Broussard, who also oversaw the fabrication and installation of the piece. Central Steel Service supplied Chris and Kaylin and their partner Fabritex with the weathering steel and our Cor-Match™ welding wire to fabricate the piece.
Chris and Kaylin hired Fabritex to roll bend the weathering steel pipe and prefabricate the structure into sections, which were delivered to the installation site. Tristan Al-Hadad at Formation Studios in Atlanta handled the laser cutting for the project. The artists rounded up a crew of hired friends and family to help with the installation. The sculpture titled “The ConNectar” now stretches 40 feet over the Atlanta BeltLine trail and is the couple’s largest and most ambitious project to date. Check out the photos below!
Photography by Kelly Ridenhour
Photography by Kelly Ridenhour
Photography by Kelly Ridenhour
“The ConNectar emerges from a meadow filled with grasses and wildflowers planted by Trees Atlanta and represents the intimate connection between plants and our pollinators. The artwork captures the flight paths of pollinators with archways that move and flutter. The structure is made of corten steel, and the wings of each pollinator are created using colored acrylic materials that allow sunlight to heighten their color. When the sun is bright, the pollinators cast shadows of primary colors onto the trail.” -Trees Atlanta
Trees Atlanta’s mission is to protect and improve urban forests by planting, conserving, and educating. Trees Atlanta embraces visual arts and sensory nature experiences to bring attention to the urban forest that we live in and the need to protect and care for these spaces.
Weathering Steel Applications for Parks, Trails and Greenways
When exposed to outdoor elements, weathering steel offers several advantages over other metals, including low maintenance, high-strength, enhanced durability, minimal thickness, cost savings and decreased construction time. But most importantly, the color of the protective patina, which the steel develops over time, blends well in outdoors spaces, such as parks, trails and greenways.
Contact Central Steel Service for High Strength Weathering Steel
Interested in using weathering steel in your next parks project or sculpture? Central Steel Service stocks high-strength, corrosion-resistant weathering steel across several categories and in a variety sizes. Contact one of our experienced sales associates to learn more!