Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) is a generative and enduring sculptural installation that is slated to open in 2024 in the Second Ward Complete Community of East End Houston. This artwork represents a monumental achievement in environmental sustainability within the realm of public art, setting a new benchmark for the City of Houston.
Created by Berlin-based artist and architect Riccardo Mariano, the 100-foot arch sculpture will demarcate the entrance point to the Segundo barrio neighborhood in Houston’s East End.
In addition to its stunning quality, Arco del Tiempo will also possess a special celestial feature in which precise movements of the sun will activate a spectrum of light and colors – bridging art and technology.
The sculpture will generate approximately 400,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity yearly – that is, the equivalent to the powering 40 Texas homes as well as the nearby Talento Bilingüe de houston cultural hub.
“Over its lifetime, the artwork will generate more than 12 million kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable energy—the equivalent of removing 8,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide,” said Elizabeth Monoian, Founding Co-director of the Land Art Generator Initiative.
“Through the clean energy it produces, Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) will pay back its embodied carbon footprint. In other words, all the energy that went into its making—from the smelting of the steel to the drilling that puts the final cladding into place—will be offset through the energy it generates.”
“This unique artwork is more than a sculpture. It is a renewable energy power plant. It is a monument to a new era of energy,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner in a press release.
“The City of Houston has always stood at the vanguard of energy innovation and the Arco del Tiempo (Arch of Time) artwork stands in that tradition, highlighting Houston’s role as an art city and as global leader in the energy transition. We are inspired by the vision and creative thinking. Marrying clean energy, the built environment, and truly World Class art is Houston.”
Arco del Tiempo is expected to open in 2024. Stay tuned for more details!