"Valley Wings"
Kinetic Art Installation (Concept)

Concept — abstract expression

The idea of Valley Wings takes form in an abstract composition: a kinetic art installation measuring 26.9 × 16.8 ft, built from 44 shimmering aluminum panels with a golden finish. Designed as a new attraction for contemporary cities, it embodies the vision of wings unfolding above the Yakima Valley.

Inspiration

Where the first railroad reached Yakima in 1885 and gave the city its heartbeat, today a new symbol rises. Valley Wingstranslates the essence of the valley into the language of motion, wind, and light.

At the core of yakima

• Born from light. The city of Yakima began with a bold vision — a railway that bridged the desert with the world. Now, golden wings extend this vision further, transforming innovation into visible art, recognizable across the horizon.
• Dance of abundance. Shifting light echoes the valley’s timeless cycle: seed, growth, bloom, harvest. Radiant rays ascend like the sweetness of ripening apples, drift down like autumn grape leaves, and spiral like delicate cherry blossoms — a living symphony of seasons in motion.
• Breath of the valley. The same winds that carved this land for millennia now orchestrate a luminous performance. Each gust sets the sculpture alive, as if the valley itself exhales through the wings.
• Beacon of Yakima. By night, the artwork glows as a constellation — a guiding symbol for all who seek the meeting point of tradition and innovation. Here, earth yields not only harvests, but also art.

Kinetic design

• Geometry of movement. Forty-four autonomous elements form a dynamic structure that continuously reshapes itself. The composition shifts from radiant sunbursts to intricate geometric constellations.
• Symbolism in form. Golden rays embody the valley’s solar energy, transforming desert soil into a fertile landscape. Their gentle oscillation recalls both the flight of eagles and the trembling of petals in the breeze.
• Poetry of interaction. Responding to the natural winds, the sculpture makes the invisible visible — turning air currents into an ever-changing choreography of light and motion.

Philosophy

• From railroads to horizons. As the railway once lifted Yakima into prosperity, Valley Wings elevates it into the realm of contemporary art — from steam and steel to dreams made of light.
• Choreography of life. Controlled by 66 kinetic winches, the installation moves in fluid, wave-like rhythms, reminiscent of birds in flight, blossoming orchards, and vineyards in motion. Programmable scenarios allow it to echo the pulse of the valley.
• Day and night presence. In daylight, golden surfaces reflect the sun with shifting patterns and shadows. By night, ten light cannons transform the sculpture into a glowing landmark, visible from afar.

Cultural legacy

Symbol of tomorrow. More than an artwork, Valley Wings serves as a cultural compass — guiding the community to a place where the history of railroads meets the brilliance of light art, where innovation grows from deep tradition.