Albert Paley Ribbons
Albert Paley often includes ribbon like banners in his monumental works. These ribbons are often a challenge to fabricate as they can weigh multiple tons and have a steel thickness of 1/2" or more. This video features ribbon fabrication of Sentinel (Rochester Institute of Technology), Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia in Charleston, West Virginia, and Odyssey in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Albert Paley designs the ribbons using bronze, a soft pliable material or cardboard. These ribbon patterns are then translated to a small model in steel. Only once Albert confirms the model ribbons are the ribbons for the monumental piece are completed.
The press brake work shown in the film was done at Steel Work in Rochester, NY where Albert Paley has his studio. The ribbons are a stainless steel material 1/2" thick. In addition to the direction provided by Albert to complete the ribbon, the fabrication staff relies on how the light reflects from the surface of the steel to reproduce what Albert has designed at the model phase. The end result is amazingly accurate.
The press brake work can only go so far. Following the press brake, Albert uses heat for the final forming of the ribbons. Grinding will follow the heating process to remove any unwanted details.