Columbia GSAPP Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery: Prospecting Ocean (Armin Linke)

With a vision guided by Andrés Jacque, Dean of the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), SITU undertook the fabrication of several metal apparatuses for the Prospecting Ocean exhibit at Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery, featuring the work of artist Armin Linke.

The exhibit is a multimedia artistic research project that investigates the technocratic entanglement of industry, science, politics, and economics at the frontiers of ocean exploration. The exhibition features Linke’s archival research, photography, and films, including behind-the-scenes footage at leading oceanographic research institutions and at sea.

Our scope involved creating custom pieces designed to display Linke’s drawings, films, photographs and exhibit materials. Key components included a large projection screen, metal shelves to house rare books and materials in acrylic vitrines, custom stool bases, and unique "constellations"—ceiling and wall-mounted frameworks supporting a series of hanging drawing clamps designed to exhibit the artist's work.

Each custom-made piece required careful consideration of both aesthetics and function to ensure that every component fit seamlessly together for a unified look that complements the exhibition space.

To address logistical challenges we adopted an efficient approach by fabricating modular units in our workshop to minimize on-site complexity and ensure that each piece was crafted for easy installation. Choosing a durable primer and acrylic enamel paint to match the artwork, all finishing was also done in-house. The resulting apparatuses were lightweight yet robust, designed to support the visual narrative of the exhibit.