cruze + sakai

Location:

Blackstone Gateway Park, Worcester MA

Dimensions:

21’ x 21’ x 12"

Materials:

Galvanized Steel Frames, Stainless Steel Mesh, Solar panels, LED Lighting

Year Completed:

2021

Description:

Blackstone Gateway Park is a new addition to the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, marking the northern end of the area where the American Industrial Revolution began. The site once housed the South Works factory of the American Steel & Wire Company, one of the largest producers of wire products in the world.

Our intention was to connect the new arch to the site’s history, and to make a beautiful landmark using long-lasting materials and modern technology. We wrapped the frame of the entrance arch with a bespoke stainless steel wire mesh fabric that creates a shimmering surface. As there was no electrical power at the site, we integrated flexible solar panels (developed for ocean sailboats) into the top of the frame, which power LED lighting. The illuminated arch acts like a beacon in the busy neighborhood, and is the first use of this technology in a Worcester park.