I worked with the NYC-based studio as a design engineer in the early concept and development stage of this art installation.

My role was to design Les Pêcheurs's fish, and the fixtures that would let them swing with the wind, based on a general shape of the sculpture body.
I built a schedule for the project by turning customer requirements into design decisions that factored in budgeting, man-power and delivery times.
Then, I designed the actual components in an iterative fashion using Fusion360 and ensured structural capability with FEA analysis. As the concept became more concrete, I prioritized design for manufacturing and assembly for the 500+ units needed.
Finally, I requested quotes from local suppliers and evaluated them in a dialogue that involved a variety of manufacturing methods and opportunities for cost reduction. This material was then handed over to the studio so they could carry on the work.

Initial Model

This high level model allowed me to communicate with stakeholders. The external single cylinder serves as a reference for the size of a person.

Top View of Model

The same model also provided a metric on the surface area to be covered. The gridded surface helps convey what the fish could look like.

Initial Design

Even before talking specifics, I made this model to facilitate conversation and get a better idea of what the studio wanted.

Initial Fixture Model

Adjusting for their feedback and now with budget specifications, I made this early version of the individual fixture for the fish. It is well supported but is made up of two parts.

Initial Fish Concepts

In the first version, the fish where round as the customer had indicated. During discussions, this later chaged to a less abstract shape.

Fish Size Comparison

I made models to communicate to the stakeholders what the smallest and largest fish under consideration would look like

Load Simulation

The analysis of the fixture with the largest fish concluded the design would hold even if the fish size changed last minute.

Delivered Fixture

The last version of the fixture I delivered provided the additional support without adding to the number of parts. It was designed to be cut flat and then bent during assembly to minimize manufacturing and transport costs.

Delivered Fish Alternatives

With a more concrete shape, I model three sizes of fish to be considered adjusting for the budget or any changes. These were sent to suppliers for quotes and lead times.