Take Flight

Project Context

In 2020, St Peter Claver College commissioned MARLINSPIKE to develop a sculptural work for the entrance of the administration building in Ipswich.

The entrance carries the daily movement of the student body to and from the main stairs. The space had no defined sculptural or threshold condition. The commission focused on resolving how this entry could operate as a marker within the campus circulation. The project is characteristic of MARLINSPIKE's work with educational campuses, where sculptural systems meet safety, durability, and maintenance requirements alongside spatial goals.

Take Flight was installed in 2020.

The work

Take Flight is a 4.5 metre vertical sequence of fourteen curved aluminium panels arranged around a central steel shaft. The panels step outward as they rise, producing a continuous spiralling form. The geometry follows the descent path of a winged seed.

Each panel carries a perforated pattern of linked figures. The pattern was developed with the college around the brief of belonging and growth. The work states this through form and surface without applied explanation.

Material resolution

The panels are anodised aluminium in a natural silver finish, mounted to a galvanised steel central post. Anodised aluminium was selected to avoid paint degradation in an exposed entrance position. The work is bolted to a concrete footing and resolved to withstand Queensland weather and the daily movement of the student body.

Edges and profiles were resolved for student safety. The work has required no maintenance since installation.

Integration and use

• Circulation: aligned with the primary entry path to the administration building
• Safety: no sharp edges or entrapment risks
• Maintenance: materials selected to hold finish without recoating
• Operational: single footing maintains an open entry forecourt

Outcome

The entrance to the administration building is defined by a single resolved element aligned with student movement.

The work has been installed for five years. The anodised finish holds. The perforated detail remains legible. The sculpture continues to mark the entry threshold within daily campus circulation.

Project Information

Location: St Peter Claver College, Ipswich, QLD

Work: Take Flight (2020)

Dimensions: 4546mm (h) x 1808mm (w)

Materials: Anodised aluminium, galvanised steel

Role: Concept development, design, fabrication coordination, installation

Status: Installed