Needle Tower

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Needle Tower, Tensegrity sculpture at Hirshhorn Museum, United States.

The 60-foot aluminum and steel tower consists of interconnected tubes that float in space, connected only by a network of cables.

Kenneth Snelson created this engineering and artistic innovation in 1968, introducing a new structural principle combining tension and compression forces.

The sculpture represents a turning point in modern art where engineering principles merged with artistic expression in public spaces.

Visitors can experience different geometric patterns by walking around the base and looking up through the alternating layers of metal tubes.

The structure remains stable despite its tubes never touching each other, held together purely by the tension of steel cables.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1968

Creator: Kenneth Snelson

Made from material: aluminum, stainless steel

GPS coordinates: 52.09422,5.82022

Latest update: May 10, 2025 20:46

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