Tecotosh

Tecotosh is a sculpture located at the entrance of the Computer Science building at Portland State University. It combines stainless steel framework, cables, and laminated dichroic glass panels with integrated lighting elements.

The sculpture was commissioned by the Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology and installed between 2005 and 2006. It stands at the corner of Southwest 4th and College as part of the campus infrastructure.

The sculpture's name comes from four engineering principles: tension, compression, torsion, and shear. These concepts are embedded into how the artwork is built and function as a bridge between art and technical learning.

The sculpture sits outdoors in a freely accessible location at the building entrance. You can view it from different angles throughout the day and night, as the integrated lights highlight the glass elements after dark.

The dichroic glass elements shift in appearance based on the angle of light and time of day. This means the sculpture looks different depending on when you visit and where you stand around it.