Willmore Surface Sculpture
Art In Durham, County Durham
When art meets mathematics you get a geometric granite sculpture.
How do you express a mathematical formula in a sculpture? Peter Sales and Bill Kataky produced a 4-lobed Willmore Torus in light grey granite.
The monument stands near the Calman Centre at the Mountjoy Campus of Durham University. A stone plaque gives some information
Willmore energy quantifies
How much a given surface deviates from a round sphere in differential geometry.
It is useful in understanding cell membranes
The University owns this sculpture along with many other pieces that were procured to the tune of 1.4 million pounds. It was all part of the 2012 build.
The sculpture is composed of two linked tori twisted to a square shape. I wonder how they came to decide the angles and curves?
The torus shape is best described as a ringed donut, and has many applications such as lifebuoys, o-rings, and glass beads
Thomas Willmore (1919 to 2005) studied differential geometry. That is someone who studies the geometry of smooth shapes which dates back to ancient Greece, and Roman times. The word Torus comes from latin meaning bulge/round cushion.
When it comes to understanding the formular for Willmore energy all I can say is Ich bin ein Berliner!
Get 2 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 25 VIPs.
Login to the VIP area to add places to your bucket list, mark them as visited and more importantly see where you rank on the league table.
How To Find Willmore Surface Sculpture
Where Is Willmore Surface Sculpture?
Lat / Long
54.76764, -1.572227
What three words
Where To Park For Willmore Surface Sculpture?
Lat / Long
54.768906, -1.571432
What three words
Paid street parking nearby
Contributed by Rosalind Parker
Thank you for reading. I hope it sparks your interest. It’s always a pleasure to get out and explore, whatever the weather. I enjoy uncovering little snippets of information, especially when they’re obscure, amusing, or meaningful. All photos were taken on a mobile phone.
More Places from Rosalind
More Places In Durham
Find more fabulous places in Durham, County Durham and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Beaurepaire Priory
Religious Place Durham County DurhamA 13th century priory twixt manor house that was a retirement home and also a retreat for the Durham Monks.
The Story At Mount Oswald
Museum Durham County DurhamA new social history museum adjacent to a grand Georgian manor house telling the history of the area.
St Cuthbert's Church Framwelgate Peth
Religious Place Durham County DurhamA paradisal place of worship dating to the Victorian age.
More Art
So this art wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.
Quorum - The Stone Faces
Art Newton Stewart ScotlandA subtle stone sculpture hidden in a dry stone wall in the middle of the Galloway Forest Park.
Easter Island Heads In Jonno’s Field
Art Scarborough North YorkshireEight wooden sculptures inspired by Easter Island’s Moai heads in Scarborough.
The Portrait Bench
Art Bedlington NorthumberlandA metal sculpted bench portraying three notable people from the Bedlington area.
Never Miss A Fabulous Place
If you are afraid of missing out on all the fabulous places we post, or just want to be the first to know, then sign up to the Fabulous North.
Each week we will email you all the brand new places that we visit.
Sign Up To Alerts
Find Us On Facebook
We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.
Join Our Facebook GroupWillmore Surface Sculpture was listed in Art // County Durham // Durham