Grotta Aeris rises from floor to ceiling, framing the central elevator bank of the renovated lobby at 150 Fayetteville | Wells Fargo Capitol Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Positioned at the heart of the space, the installation occupies a threshold where movement and transition converge, transforming a utilitarian core into a moment of visual focus.

The installation takes shape as a faceted structure clad in copper-finished composite panels, extending the material language of the elevator enclosure itself. Inspired by crystalline growth in nature, the form reflects how rigid, rule-based systems can give rise to organic variation. Sharp edges retain crystalline clarity while the overall mass reads as a grotto-like outcropping.

Spanning the full height of the lobby, the installation asserts a strong presence without feeling heavy. Subtle backlighting animates the structure from within, allowing light to escape through seams and edges that break down its apparent solidity. As the lighting shifts slowly over time, the piece feels less like an inert object and more like a living process undergoing a quiet internal reaction.

Polished copper surfaces reflect movement and activity from across the lobby in fractured and unexpected ways. Although the form appears to grow directly from the elevator core, its reflective surface actively draws the surrounding space inward—folding people, motion, and context into a layered, three-dimensional kaleidoscope. In this way, Grotta Aeris becomes both object and environment, anchoring the space while continuously reshaping itself through light and perception.

Photos: Alan Tansey

Find out more about the process:
Cell Structure
Pixel Mapping
Photos of testing and installation