Caesura Entry, Susan Hefuna

Fabricated for multimedia artist Susan Hefuna, this patterned entry installation welcomes residents and visitors to Caesura, a mixed-income residential tower located at the intersection of Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene and Boerum Hill.

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We worked closely with the artist to take the piece from design into fabrication, ultimately, producing the sculptural facade from 13 panels of CNC-milled aluminum. Together, they form two lattice-like screens that create a layered entry sequence to the building. In total, the installation stands 15 ft tall and stretches 23 ft across the entryway, creating cohesion between several architectural elements including the door itself, the interior vestibule and smaller security features.

Mounted with brackets that project the panels several inches from the wall, the sculpture appears as if it’s suspended in place. By day, the contrast between the bright metal surfaces and their shadows creates a striking dimensionality. At night, the design’s integrated backlighting inverts this effect and provides a soft glow that illuminates the entrance.

Hefuna’s process started with a series of hand-drawn illustrations that we carefully recreated as a digital model. This allowed us to respond to numerous revisions to the building's overall design and adjust parts of the installation accordingly. We leveraged our metalworking experience to specify finishes and produce detailed construction drawings that effectively capture the artist’s vision.

The panels were made from ⅜-inch-thick sheets, and the unusual thickness lends a subtle visual weight to the pattern’s edges. Instead of a typical waterjet, we used our CNC router to achieve a consistent and highly polished profile while cutting out each segment. The front surfaces of the panels were given a lustrous finish with an orbital sander and a clear powder coat to protect them from weathering outdoors.