Perry May

Structural Evolution

A twisting double helix—measuring 35' long, 8' wide, and weighing nearly 2,000 pounds—adorns the atrium at The University of Kansas’ (KU) new engineering building in Lawrence, Kansas. The artwork, entitled “Structural Evolution,” is a competition-winning feat of engineering designed by KU student Perry May. It was chosen through a juried selection co-sponsored by KU and Zahner. Zahner engineered, fabricated, and installed the winning artwork, which joins a rich oeuvre of custom fabricated artworks made with Zahner engineering and manufacturing. When May first presented his model to the jury, the application pool was large and varied. To get as many diverse ideas as possible, The University opened the competition to the entire student body. The University wanted to fill the two-story atrium with an inspiring work of art that would evoke the spirit of the engineering department.