Wolfgang Buttress

Wolfgang Buttress is an award-winning artist acclaimed for his simple, elegant, and contextual works which traverse the realms of art, science, and imagination. 

UAP collaborated with Buttress to deliver North Star Chicago, a ceiling-mounted light sculpture located at the entry lobby of the United Airlines Polaris Lounge, Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Designed to recreate the wonder of flying, the sculpture draws inspiration from the lights of downtown Chicago and the stars above it.

Using a hands-on approach, UAP worked alongside Buttress to map out the
sculpture’s stainless steel framework to suspend 1500 individual optic strands amongst a scattered field of glass bulbs. The collaboration combined creative ideas and researched-based understanding to arrange the glass bulbs and optic cables in a configuration that mingles the constellations of the sky above with the twinkling of Chicago’s city lights.

North Star Chicago reflects our relationship to the surrounding world, creating a
one-of-a-kind experience which immerses visitors to the lounge in dream-like space. Commissioned by United Airlines, the artwork is the first of nine site-specific
installations being created for the airline’s lounges across the globe.