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Talus Dome, 2011

Benjamin Ball & Gaston Nogues

Ball-Nogues Studio

Quesnell Bridge/Whitemud Drive Westbound

Newly installed at the end of October, 2011, Talus Dome is both a sculpture in the landscape and a mirror to the landscape. Composed of approximately 1,000 hand crafted stainless steel spheres that together assume the shape of an abstracted pile or mound, Talus Dome reflects the sky, the weather and the river of cars that pass by it.

The spheres were fabricated by hand, either spun or hydro-formed depending on the particular size. Each sphere then went through a grinding and polishing process to achieve the mirror finish. 

The marine grade 316L mirror polished stainless steel used is among the highest-grade stainless steel available for architectural scaled applications. It will remain ageless through the cycle of seasons and over many years.

At the same time, the surface of Talus Dome will take on different colors with the changing seasons and hours of the day. Its visual quality is not static, and therefore creates a balance between its permanence, and its changeable appearance that suggests the mutability of nature.

The sculpture is located at a major junction of the city's river valley trail system, and is accessible to a wide range of people – walkers, runners, bikers, skiers, inline skaters. While visible from the road, the best way to experience Talus Dome is from the adjacent trail.  

About the Artists:
Ball-Nogues Studio is an integrated design and fabrication practice operating in the territory between architecture, art and industrial design. Their work has been exhibited at major institutions throughout the world, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Guggenheim Museum; and the Beijing Biennale.