Located at a busy (and windy…and noisy) urban intersection at Johnson Drive and Merriam Lane, Still Time is a site-specific wind chime, housed in a distinctive limestone and steel tower. Playing off of the limestone blocks that line adjacent Turkey Creek, the stacked stone supports a galvanized steel wind scoop, which in turn supports more stone and the industrial-scaled chime itself. The scoop directs wind to the wind target, which triggers the chime to respond in a series of deep, resonant notes that provide a sense of calm to the otherwise frenetic site. The work celebrates the timeless presence of wind on the site, tying into the memory of the original settlers of the region, the Kanza Tribe, which were known as the “People of the South Wind.”
The Artist Team worked closely with UMKC composer Paul Rudy on the sound component of the piece. Once the stone tower was in place, the Artist Team performed an analysis of the resonance of the chamber, which allowed Paul to suggest the 5 exact notes that would resonate the most, and provide the richest sound experience. The chimes are meant to be appreciated in the context of the urban noise of the site and of the nature sounds of turkey creek. The wind scoop itself was a custom imprinted aluminum license plate, marked with an abstracted diagram of the tower.
Work completed by Dan Maginn FAIA while a Principal at DRAW Architecture & Urban Design, LLC.
