El Cerrito del norte

A design Collaboration between Andre Caradec of S/U/M and Andrei Hakhovich of Gradient Matter

Fabrication by S/U/M

Conceived as an optical assembly of visual transformation, reflective elements undulate within a view-optimized surface calibrated to the arrival and departure of BART passengers. Being made of the same material as a BART train, the varying reflective/refractive material zones generate moments of clarity and dissolve as the installation comes into focus and the angle of view changes and new sight lines are redrawn.

Cues are taken from the microclimates and SF bay Marine Layer patterns that create the daily and civic rhythms so unique to life as a Bay Area Resident. Like a mid day fog clearing, These rhythms and transformations play out cinematically along the surface of the installation as near becomes far, and far becomes near.