Hoberman Arch, Aluminium sculpture in Salt Lake City, United States.
The Hoberman Arch is a semi-circular aluminium structure 36 feet tall and 72 feet wide, made of 96 translucent panels joined by 13,000 steel rivets. It was designed to open like the iris of an eye, folding into a 6-foot ring. It now stands fixed on a 10–12 foot base at Salt Lake City International Airport.
The artwork served as the centrepiece of the Olympic Medals Plaza during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where athletes received their awards. After several years, the structure was restored and relocated to the city's international airport.
The arch's form echoes Delicate Arch and other natural stone arches of Utah. Its translucent panels were made to let light through from behind, matching the 2002 Olympic theme "Light the Fire Within". Since 2023 the base carries the 2002 and Paralympic logos and, after the 2034 award, the wording "2002 & 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Host".
The sculpture is located at Salt Lake City International Airport and is easy to access for visitors arriving or departing. Illuminated with Olympic and Paralympic symbols, it creates a memorable first or last impression when visiting the city.
The arch no longer moves: the 2023 airport installation is fixed and cannot open or close, though it is lit at night. Its 96 translucent panels, joined by 13,000 steel rivets, once folded into a 6-foot ring in about 20 seconds, echoing the 2002 theme "Light the Fire Within."
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