Artwise challenged the multidisciplinary art and design studio, Troika, to come up with an innovative and exciting solution to create a sculpture that would welcome passengers to the new British Airways Galleries Lounges in a spectacular way. They presented a brilliant and well conceived idea which materialised into a kinetic sculpture in the form of a stylised cloud. Suspended between the escalators Cloud signals the soft transition between the hustle and bustle of the shopping mall to the sanctuary of the British Airways Galleries experience, evoking the sensation of elevation, as with the pleasures of rising above the clouds in flight - from grey skies to sunshine. This 5 metre long Cloud is the first non-rectangular 3D structure made using flip dot technology (a technique only previously seen on 2D information boards in places such as railway stations). Cloud uses over 5,000 flip dots with bespoke engineering and specially developed animation software that allows the appearance of Cloud to constantly change throughout the day. The flip dots respond to Troika's programming by audibly flipping between black and silver, which creates a mesmerising wave as they chase each other across the surface of the cloud. Reflecting its surrounding colours, the mechanical mass is transformed into an organic form that appears to come alive, shimmering and flirting with onlookers that pass by from both above and below.

Manufactured by Mike Smith Studio
www.troika.co.uk