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Bloom

Susan Zoccola

Atlantic/Central Base

A wall-mounted sculpture invokes natural and mathematical patterns.

Susan Zoccola. Bloom, 2004 Concrete, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, and light. Atlantic/Central Base, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com

Inspired by the Fibonacci sequence in mathematics, Susan Zoccola’s Bloom spans five stories of an exterior wall at King County Metro Transit’s parking garage for the Atlantic Central Base.

The massive relief sculpture is set on a grid based on the Golden Mean, the theory of proportion that dates back to ancient Greece, and features a series of spirals derived from Fibonacci’s numbers. Its curves echo the natural shapes of flowers and pinecones, bringing an organic element to the surrounding industrial district. Wall perforations and large domes give the work additional dimension, and a trio of aluminum light fixtures illuminate it at night.

Zoccola designed the piece with the setting in mind. “The integrated spiral shapes work formally and conceptually with the curves of freeway ramps, bus wheels, and plant growth,” she says.
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A studio and public artist based in Seattle, Zoccola works in a wide variety of media. Her other public commissions include Murmuration at Pacific Place, Grass Blades at Seattle Center, and Wave Wall at Seattle Aquarium, along with many others around the country.
Susan Zoccola. Bloom, 2004 Concrete, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, and light. Atlantic/Central Base, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
Susan Zoccola. Bloom, 2004 Concrete, aluminum, fiberglass, steel, and light. Atlantic/Central Base, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
 

About the Location

Atlantic/Central Base

The Atlantic/Central Base is a 24-hour employee services center for King County’s Department of Metro Transit. It combines two bus bases—Atlantic and Central—where some 1,200 drivers and other staff pick up route assignments, take breaks between shifts, socialize, train, and stock up on supplies. Buses and trolleys have been serviced at this site since 1941.…

Read more about the art and artists at Atlantic/Central Base. More >