In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ landmark flight on Dec. 17, 1903, NASA’s Office of Aerospace Technology and the Art Institute of Chicago have organized an exhibit exploring the history of aerospace engineering and its relationships to architecture and design.
The exhibition is entitled: Aerospace Design: The Art of Engineering from NASA’s Aeronautical Research.
Aerospace Design presents a pictorial survey documenting NASA’s aerospace history and the architects and builders, aerospace engineers and scientists behind it. Including some 65 artifacts, the exhibition displays objects ranging from handcrafted wind tunnel models of early biplanes to models of the Space Shuttle. The exhibition also showcases some of NASA’s latest research concepts, such as aircraft with “morphing” wings, “self healing” aircraft surfaces, and biologically inspired sensors, all of which will help make future air travel accident free, environmentally friendly, affordable, and accessible to all.
Like sculpture, the handcrafted models created by NASA craftsmen are visually powerful and aesthetically striking. In addition to possessing functional value, they have aesthetic value, as well illustrating how aviation-related forms can be beautiful as they are functional.
The exhibit is on view in the Kisho Kurokawa Gallery of Architecture from August 2, 2003 through February 8, 2004. After Chicago, the exhibit will travel across the country for three years to other museums. A photographic version will visit airports throughout the nation.