''Coastline'' is an

outdoor sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable s ...

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artist

Jim Sanborn Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring * ''Jim' ...

installed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration complex in Silver Spring, Maryland. ''Coastline'' attempts to recreate the effect of waves crashing on the Atlantic coast (represented by rough-cut granite). This is achieved with artificial waves generated by a turbine and pneumatic blower underneath the sculpture. The wave frequency is controlled by a remote tide gauge in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, that sends actual wave heights to the sculpture's control mechanism in real time. Sanborn built a quarter-size

scale model A scale model is a physical model which is geometrically similar to an object (known as the prototype). Scale models are generally smaller than large prototypes such as vehicles, buildings, or people; but may be larger than small prototypes ...

of the sculpture and consulted with a wave engineer while doing research for the project.

References

{{Jim Sanborn 1993 establishments in Maryland 1993 sculptures Buildings and structures in Silver Spring, Maryland Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland Granite sculptures in Maryland National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Outdoor sculptures in Maryland Sculptures by Jim Sanborn Water in art