Have you ever wondered what those tall blue things are in the Mueller area? We were curious, too.
These things are actually a public art installation of solar SunFlowers in an “Electric Garden.” The 15 SunFlowers generate energy used for lighting at night, and are made of solar cells, steel, and plant material.
Created by artists Mags Harries + Lajos Héder in 2009, this art installation was chosen by a panel of visual art and design professionals who reviewed 37 proposals submitted for Mueller’s signature public art gateway. The nomination process was led by the City of Austin’s Art in Public Places program.
This art installation “comes alive” at night. | Photo by @thehoppygal
What should you know about these SunFlowers?
- LED lights in the SunFlowers brightly glow with a blue light at night
- Flowers produce 15 kilowatts of additional energy for Austin’s electrical grid
- SunFlowers provide shaded area for a pedestrian path
- Installation is supported by a major contribution from Catellus Development Corporation
The art installation is located near the Mueller Regional Retail Center at 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd. You can monitor the SunFlowers’ energy here.
Interested in exploring the area? Check out our Mueller neighborhood guide.