PaperCity Magazine

PaperCity Dallas March 2022

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the tree to withstand its new setting. Over the course of two years, Gordijn and Nauta worked daily to make the tree as realistic as possible. They employed wind sensors to distinguish how the leaves in that precise location would naturally sway and technology was installed to mimic that movement in real time with flashing LED lights; they used a sunlight-measuring software to understand the direction in which the branches would organically grow; they plastered resin against real bark in the forest to construct a detailed mold; and they wielded a steel base to give it strong, decades-lasting roots. In an urban environment like Deep Ellum — and, specifically, The earth, the artistic version symbolizes growth among sterility, and seeks to establish connection between individuals, nature, and technology. At Burning Man, the tree hosted a makeshift classical music concert one day, became a wedding venue another, and a place for strangers to gather along the way. Studio DRIFT artist Lonneke Gordijn says, "It had so many meanings, and that's what I found beautiful: It became something of the people. No one dictated how to live with that tree or how to make use of it." She was eager to recreate a permanent version, and when presented with the Westdale-funded opportunity, she knew she would need to reinvent WIND SENSORS DISTINGUISH HOW THE LEAVES IN THAT PRECISE LOCATION WOULD NATURALLY SWAY AND TECHNOLOGY WAS INSTALLED TO MIMIC THAT MOVEMENT IN REAL TIME WITH FLASHING LED LIGHTS; A SUNLIGHT-MEASURING SOFTWARE UNDERSTANDS THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE BRANCHES WOULD ORGANICALLY GROW ... (Continued from page 94) Epic — the Tree of Ténéré stands as a call to return to the basics. "There are dictated rhythms of the city — the architecture, the speed of traffic. And, as a human being, you have to adapt to that," Gordijn said. "We want to create this moment where you actually feel like 'Oh yeah, this is a natural frequency that makes me feel calm and forget about all the other rhythms.'" Tree of Ténéré, on permanent display in the center of The Epic, 2550 Pacific Ave. Tree of Ténéré in progress Wind movement is mimicked with flashing LED lighting. Resin plastered against real bark was used to create the mold for the realistic trunk and branches. 96

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