Public Art | Kinetic Installation | Mechanical Aesthetics

“Flying Seeds” | Design: Jussi Ängeslevä | Production: ODE

Located in the Terminal 3 atrium of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, this work takes the winged seeds of the Lingnan ash tree as its inspiration. The project abstracts the natural rhythm of falling seeds into a kinetic mechanical narrative, creating a visual dialogue between nature and the urban environment within a major transportation hub.

The installation consists of approximately 3.9 tons of custom-formed, freeform curved metal blades. ODE developed a digital twin model to accurately reconstruct the complex surface geometry and carried out multiple iterations of optimization and tuning for the transmission system. Designer Jussi Ängeslevä also visited our production base to participate in on-site testing, calibration, and final adjustments.

Ultimately, the system operates at a stable speed of under 2 RPM. In continuous motion, the structure evokes the light, drifting descent of seeds, achieving a precise balance between mechanical force and biomimetic form within the architectural space.