Kickstarter

Wind Playground is a kinetic sculpture that allows people to play with and understand wind. Built with the same colorful material as windsurf and kite sails, Wind Playground is “Venturi effect”  in a 57 x 65 foot wide by 18 foot tall “party dress”.

We have recently been granted 501c(3) status from a supporting non-profit organization, this allows us to accept tax deductible donations.

Since our Kickstarter has been moving very slow lately- and is now near ending, we thought it might be advantageous to pull out while we are ahead, and allow anyone that still would like to support, to make tax-deductible donations to Wind Playground! Hurrah!

Please consider donating straight to our website!

http://www.windplayground.com/?p=311

We will be continuing our prize program even with tax-deductible donations.

Originally created for Governor’s Island (NYC), as part of the FIGMENT sculpture garden, Wind Playground is designed to interact with the local wind patterns. Using sail making techniques, it funnels wind into a maze of tunnels creating wind-microcosms. As the audience walks through the tunnels, the wind becomes stronger, reaching its maximum speed toward the end. Here, just as a sailor, windsurfer or kite surfer plays with wind by positioning themselves relative to the wind, visitors can alter or cancel the “Venturi Effect” based on where they’re positioned in the sculpture and on the amount of people participating.

I’ve spent half of my life working as a professional sailor and half of my life working as an artist. I think of wind as a living material to sculpt with. With Wind Playground I wanted to combine the experiences of both artist and sailor to recreate the thrill of being out at sea.  As at sea - wind howls through the  riggings , wind patterns are picked up by “tell tails”, the  riggings and ropes squeak under the wind pressure while the light reflects off of the bright surface of the sail. Visitor’s can then play, climb, and slide in the sculpture experiencing the thrill of being blown away by the wind.

By using recycled windsurf and sailing gear and material, Wind Playground is engineered to take on heavy weather. Its frame consists of carbon masts while its skin is made of a foldable lightweight sail material.

This sculpture is designed to provide an immersive experience for people of every age. Wind playground is a means to play, rest, observe or interact with wind.

www.windplayground.com

Thanks from a generous grant from the Black Rock Art Foundation, Wind Playground has moved to Maui to use local sail making expertise and work closely with Barry Spanier  the “Sail maker’s Angel” a supporter of Wind Playground since the beginning.

Our goal of 25000$ would allow us to build a Wind Playground approximately 49 x 49 foot wide by 15 foot tall; However if you’d like to be blown away KEEP PLEDGING.

Wind Playground’s  “sweet size” is at least 57 x 65 foot wide by 18 foot tall, IF NOT BIGGER, which would require over 50.000 to be built. My dream is to have as many people as possible playing with wind and to turn Wind Playground into a public art wind party for all. I’ll make it as big as your support!

Your pledging will pay for :

Sailcloth

Tools and thread

Installation

Rigging

 In 2012 we plan to install Wind Playground at:

-       Burning Man- USA

-       San Francisco - USA

 

The Wind Playground Fundraising is sponsored by Sailbags Maui, which donated the their wonderful bags made of 100% recycled kite sail material from Maui's Northshore. Meet cute Kristine Hoffman from Sailbags Maui

ALSO is if you pledge $5,000 or more WE HOST YOU IN MAUI FOR 7 DAYS ON A WONDERFUL HOUSE ON THE MAUI NORTH SHORE WITH OCEAN VIEW!!

Also check our Wind Playground T-shirts

Thank you for dreaming with me

Maia 

Wind Playground is the result of the combined effort and passion of amazing people across the planet such as:

THE BLACK ROCK ARTS FOUNDATION: The mission of the Black Rock Arts Foundation is to support and promote community, interactive art and civic participation http://blackrockarts.org



BARRY SPANIER - writer, inventor and founder of Maui Sails (http://mauisails.com/) http://www.barryspanier.com/


MANUEL SAUVAGE - French architect and boat designer that sailed solo from Bretagne, France to Maui, Hawaii and works on a number of amazing projects such as the "SeaOrbiter", a Floating oceanographic laboratory set for launch in 2013 . http://www.euronews.net/2011/11/22/seaorbiter-ahoy/



KRISTIN HOFFMAN - Founder and owner of Sailbags Maui that sponsors the Kickstarter campaign with her bags made from recycled sails from Maui's North Shore. http://www.sailbagsmaui.com/



+H2O - a platform that brings together a community of athletes, conservationists, and non-profit organizations to create purposeful solutions promoting clean water conservation and raising awareness on ocean pollution. http://positive-h2o.com/

DIMENSION POLYANT - Dimension Polyant gave almost $13,000 of in-kind donation of sailcloth material! http://www.dimension-polyant.com/de

DIANA VALHUERDI - A creative fashion designer that with her knowledge in pattern making, engineering and sculpting with fabric combined was able to resolve the Wind Playground first structural puzzles and allowed the project to make the transition form the conceptual to the physical space http://www.ecubyan.com

MICHAEL GOERICKE - Assistant, videographer , editor, media coordinator and all around bad-ass that has been basically helping out in every aspect of the Wind Playground production


For more information visit our website :
www.windplayground.com

Or follow us on facebook :
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wind-Playground/253226914742192

Here are some articles about  Wind Playground

Inhabitat : http://inhabitat.com/wind-playground-is-an-interactive-kinetic-sculpture-that...

Burn After Reading Magazine: http://burnafterreadingmag.com/the-wind-playground-a-refreshing-2012-installa...