"BIG ASS SNAKES ON A PLAIN" | INVITING LIGHT-PUBLIC ART PROJECT | Baltimore, Md

ESCAPISM & EXHIBITIONISM...

This project is the brainchild of talented and dynamic Baltimore artist Phaan Howng, known for her vibrant, futuristic landscapes that explore themes of nature and optimism. Phaan envisioned a shock of impossible nature breaking free from the urban grid—a cluster of massive, bioluminescent leaves reclaiming a monolithic brick facade on North Charles Street. She came to us with this powerful concept, and our role was to become her technical partner: to engineer, detail, and coordinate with fabrication and sculptural specialist Malcolm Majer the vision into a durable piece of public art.

The FADE Approach:

Our process began by translating the anatomy of a leaf into an architectural language of aluminum tubing and aluminum plates. As the technical architects, we engineered this massive organism, designing a custom steel exoskeleton and pinpoint connection brackets. This ensures the sculpture can withstand the elements while appearing to float weightlessly off the wall.

In the artist studio, full-scale cardboard mockups allowed us to feel the sculpture’s scale and movement before a single piece of metal was cut. Each of the seven massive ‘leaves’—some stretching up to 35 feet—was digitally fabricated from aluminum sheets, then hand-finished with a vibrant, UV-reactive pattern that vibrates with color. The process was a dialogue between digital precision and the maker's hand.

The Outcome:

Now installed, "Big Ass Snake(plant)s On A Plain" breathes life into North Charles Street. By day, it's a shock of green against historic brick. By night, integrated LEDs cause it to glow, transforming the utilitarian parking garage into a landmark. It stands as a testament to our FADE philosophy: a project born from Architectural rigor, brought to life through hands-on Fabrication, and serving as a key piece of creative Development for Baltimore’s public realm.

Contact us to engineer, fabricate, and install durable, code-compliant public art that brings artist-led concepts to life.