WORKING LANDSCAPE
Downtown Vancouver, BC; Artist: Daniel Laskarin

Four circular platforms of various sizes, each with a potted tree and a park bench, are set in a walking plaza. Each platform rotates slowly as follows:

• The largest (20’ diameter) takes 40 hours per rotation, representing the work week
• Next smaller, 8 hours – the work day
• Next smaller, 1 hour – lunch break
• The smallest, 20 minutes – coffee break

“Working Landscape”, as this interactive kinetic art is called, was installed in 1998, but has had recurring mechanical problems since then causing one or more of the platforms to stop rotating. They have not moved at all during the past three years.

H. Dasken Mechanical and Technical Innovations investigated the problems that had caused the previous breakdowns and re-designed the drive mechanisms to correct those problems. All four platforms are now working smoothly and trouble free for the enjoyment of downtown pedestrians.

SPINDLE WHORLS
Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre at Whistler Village, BC

These 8-foot diameter Spindle Whorls stand 15 feet tall, and tower over you as you enter the cultural centre. They rotate slowly to enhance the visual impact (these are the largest ever made that actually rotate). First Nations artists carved the cedar disks; one representing the Squamish and the other the Lil'wat culture. Each Spindle Whorl with its pedestal weighs approximately 1,500 pounds.

• Design of the pedestals and rotational mechanism
• Custom engineered soundproofing to make the motors totally silent
• Fabrication of the structure and mechanism
• Installation of the finished pieces at Whistler Village

GLOBE
Haida Heritage Centre at Qay'llnagaay, Queen Charlotte Islands, BC

This 32-inch globe has images of Haida culture painted on the outside, and visitors can rotate it by hand. It incorporates an adjustable friction device that allows easy turning, but keeps enthusiastic people from causing it to spin too rapidly.

• Designed the mechanism and structure
• Built and tested the finished Globe mechanism

LIVING FOREST, MECHANICALLY ANIMATED EXHIBITS
Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park

The Living Forest exhibit includes an Owl that flaps its wings and winks an eye, some mechanized earthworms that burrow in the soil, and a Woodpecker that pecks the side of an imitation tree. The units are operated by hand crank, and with over a million visitors a year, the displays were constantly breaking down and needing daily repairs to keep them working.

• Re-designed, rugged-ized and rebuilt the units
• Provided a 2-year guarantee against mechanical breakdowns - a tall order considering they are often operated by very enthusiastic youngsters
• Eight years later they were still functioning well