The ''Zephyrometer'' is a public sculpture by
Phil Price in Evans Bay,
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
. The work was installed in 2003.
It is a
kinetic sculpture consisting of a concrete cylinder holding a 26m tall needle which sways to show wind direction and speed. It is sited on Cobham Drive to make use of Wellington's wind.
The ''Zephyrometer'' was damaged by lightning on August 14, 2014.
''Zephyrometer'' was the second of five major wind sculptures commissioned by the
Wellington Sculpture Trust
The Wellington Sculpture Trust is an independent charitable trust which funds and advocates for public sculptures in Wellington, New Zealand. It is funded by private and corporate donations and works with the Wellington City Council. It has commi ...
over the period 2000 – 2010, which now make up the Meridian Wind Sculpture Walk. The work has attracted international interest, and is a beloved local landmark.
Lightning strike
On 14 August 2014 at approximately 2:30pm, the ''Zephyrometer'' was struck by lightning during a hail storm, leaving the tip of the sculpture frayed. A spokesman for Wellington City Council confirmed that the "needle" is "completely stuffed". Video of the actual
lightning strike
A lightning strike or lightning bolt is an electric discharge between the atmosphere and the ground. Most originate in a cumulonimbus cloud and terminate on the ground, called cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. A less common type of strike, ground- ...
itself was captured by Solomon Emet and is viewable on YouTub
The sculpture was restored on May 13, 2015, but the new needle was composed of a lighter material which caused the sculpture to bend very low in extremely windy conditions. Additional weight had to be added to the counterbalance.
See also
*''
Wind Wand
The ''Wind Wand'' is a 48-metre kinetic sculpture located in New Plymouth, New Zealand. The sculpture includes a 45-metre tube of red fibreglass, and was made to designs by artist Len Lye. To residents, it is one of the main icons of New Plymout ...
''
*
''Halo'' (artwork)
References
External links
''Zephyrometer'' official pagefrom the
Wellington Sculpture Trust
The Wellington Sculpture Trust is an independent charitable trust which funds and advocates for public sculptures in Wellington, New Zealand. It is funded by private and corporate donations and works with the Wellington City Council. It has commi ...
''Zephyrometer'' picturesat
Flickr
Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was a popular way for amateur and profession ...
*
Lightning Strikes Wellington Zephyrometer–'' video of the 2014 lightning strike captured by Solomon Emet on YouTube.
Outdoor sculptures in New Zealand
Buildings and structures in Wellington City
Fiberglass sculptures
2003 sculptures
Kinetic sculptures
{{Sculpture-stub
