Energy Machine for the Te Puawānanga Science and Technology Centre

How Satellite created a sculpture to spark curiosity.

MOTAT wanted to radically redefine the way our tamariki engage with science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There was evidence of a decline in science achievements and a “pattern of disengagement” in schools. Satellite were given the opportunity to create something special which could help address this.

The idea

As a centrepiece for this new space at MOTAT, Satellite designed a large sculptural creative structure to showcase the relationship of energy and matter. A sculpture that would draw visitors into the space and create a sense of wonder within the larger Te Puawānanga spatial environment. It needed to be playful, welcoming and become a talking point for visitors during a visit and beyond.

Typically science centre interactives cater either to a single visitor or family group but we wanted to change that. We gave the Energy Machine a strong collaborative drive, incorporating play with a mix of physical and digital design techniques to engage our young audience.

The result

The main design driver for the Energy Machine was to create a sculpture that could be physically interacted with by a range of visitors to reach a desired outcome, allowing for individual use or 8 separate visitors contributing to a single high impact outcome. It takes inspiration not only from industry but also nature.

It's described as a ‘machine’ but to a lot of visitors it resembles a creature that is sprawled across the space. This sprawling footprint allows for 8 individuals to contribute their energy to raise the central tower of balls (Galilean cannon) until they blast upwards, but also allows for others to observe the activity and safely move around the space.