By Giulio Gianni
When the structure is also the final visible surface, every engineering decision is on show.
Infinite Accumulationby Yayoi Kusama, Sky Mirror (for Hendrik) by Anish Kapoor, and the Domains by Antony Gormley are recent examples of this. These works all have different sizes, geometry and structural behaviour, but all have in common the use of stainless steel as both the primary structural material and the finished surface.
Working on artworks with this material poses a particular kind of challenge, and that is exactly what makes it interesting for us as designers. Often in other projects the structure can sit quietly in the background. With these pieces, it cannot. The stainless steel framing is not only doing the hard work structurally; it is also the final finished surface, fully visible, catching light, reflecting its surroundings, and showing every decision we make. There is nothing to hide behind, and that changes the conversation from the start: we are not just talking about strength, stiffness and grade, but also about weldability, surface finish, reflectivity and colour.
That is why this work requires us to think in more than purely structural terms. We still have to think like structural designers, of course, checking load paths, movement, tolerances and durability. But we also have to think about making, finishing and appearance in a much more direct way. These recent projects have reminded us that good engineering in this space is not just about solving problems after the design is set; it is about being embedded in the design with the artist and the makers from the outset. That is where the hidden and quiet creativity in engineering sits. It is in knowing when a small change in thickness, orientation or shape, a different material grade, or a better way of handling heat from a weld can protect both the idea and the object itself. For me, that is one of the most rewarding parts of the job: helping turn an artistic vision into something buildable, robust and beautiful, without losing the clarity of the original idea.
Image Credits:
1 - Yayoi Kusama, Infinite Accumulation, 2024 Liverpool Street station (Elizabeth line). Commissioned as part of The Crossrail Art Programme, 2017 © YAYOI KUSAMA. Courtesy Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro. Photo: Thierry Bal
2 - Anish Kapoor, Sky Mirror (for Hendrik), 2017. © Anish Kapoor, Collection De Pont Museum Tillburg. Photo: Tim Lucas
3 - Antony Gormley, Domain XCVI, 2025, 10 mm square section stainless steel bar, 189.5 x 66.2 x 35.7 cm. Installation view as part of Survey: Antony Gormley, Nasher Sculpture Centre, Dallas, U.S.A., 2025. Photo: Kevin Todora, courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture Center © the artist
