Zephyrometer
Statue in Wellington, New Zealand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Zephyrometer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Phil Price |
| Type | Kinetic art |
| Location | Wellington, New Zealand |
The Zephyrometer is a public sculpture by Phil Price in Evans Bay, Wellington. The work was installed in 2003.[1][2] It is a kinetic sculpture consisting of a concrete cylinder holding a 26 metres (85 ft) tall needle which sways to show wind direction and speed. It is sited on Cobham Drive to make use of Wellington's wind.[3] The Zephyrometer was damaged by lightning on August 14, 2014.
Zephyrometer was the second of five major wind sculptures commissioned by the Wellington Sculpture Trust over the period 2000 – 2010, which now make up the Meridian Wind Sculpture Walk. The work has attracted international interest, and is a beloved local landmark.[3]
On 14 August 2014 at approximately 2:30 pm, the Zephyrometer was struck by lightning during a hail storm, leaving the tip of the sculpture frayed. A spokesman for Wellington City Council confirmed that the "needle" is "completely stuffed".[4] Video of the actual lightning strike itself was captured by Solomon Emet and is viewable on YouTube . The sculpture was restored on May 13, 2015, [5][6] but the new needle was composed of a lighter material which caused the sculpture to bend very low in extremely windy conditions.[7] Additional weight had to be added to the counterbalance.[8]
Lightning damage on Zephyrometer
Damage on tip
Damage near gimbal
Damage near gimbal (close-up)
Lowest exit point (close-up)
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