Red Hat Summit

The ITA Group asked us to create a giant mobile in the rotunda of Boston's Hynes Convention Center for this year's Red Hat Summit.

We started on a grand scale, envisioning multiple geodesic shapes representing the networking connections afforded to Red Hat's members. Dozens of sketches and renderings were produced to help understand how the mobile would fit within the space. In the end, time and budget constraints dictated a simplified design with a single geodesic "orb", rotating under a 20' diameter circle sign.

The orb has (42) 5-way and 6-way hubs, 240 connections, and 120 varying length tubes. Installation with union riggers was a challenge, as every connection had to be double checked and signed off on before the finish caps were installed.  The landings were too small to allow assembly of the circle sign, so it and the orb were constructed on the escalator (not moving!) before being suspended over the six-story space.

Lighting and rotation made for a spellbinding sight, with moving shadows projected around the room. Company executives were so happy with the orb that it now hangs in the lobby at Red Hat's world headquarters.