The Stratford Shoal is a resplendent kinetic sculpture, so named due to its resemblance to swimming fish. It was commissioned for the 2012 Olympics to enliven the area between two shopping centres adjacent to the Olympic Park; Westfield and Stratford.
This sculpture was specially designed by London architects Studio Egret West, but upon completion, the wall of opalescent titanium leaves was found to move erratically in high winds.
ARX designed and installed a solution to ‘dampen’ the Stratford Shoal, allowing the leaves to sway in the wind as intended, but with a controlled motion, under higher wind loadings.
The solution came in the form of 146 hydraulic damper assemblies, with two attached to each leaf in order to reduce their movement in strong winds to a pre-set maximum force.