Elegant Enclosures: Even More Gussow Boxes

The “Crystal” sculpture model beside a photo of Gussow using it to demonstrate the installation of the sculpture in 1983..

You may remember this blog post where we discussed the intricacies of making boxes for the Roy Gussow models and studies. In March of this year, his family got in touch to offer more, including 11 models that were studies for the public sculpture “Crystal,” which now stands outside City Hall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “Crystal” is 17 feet high and made of reflective stainless steel.

The sculpture “Crystal”, in front of City Hall in Harrisburg, PA.
The sculpture “Crystal”, in front of City Hall in Harrisburg, PA. Photo from https://roygussow.com/

Once accepted, they were turned over to us in Preservation to figure out ways to store them. Our goals for boxes like this are to take up as little space as possible (storage space is limited!), but make sure the objects are secure when being moved around for researchers or taken out for classes.

My first step was to measure the shelf the boxes will live on. How foolish to put in a lot of work and then not have them fit!

Measuring the shelf.
 Measuring the shelf.

One way to be sure they’ll fit is to use existing boxes that the shelves were designed to fit. After consulting with Preservation Librarian Jamie Bradway, we determined that many of the models could fit in our WonderBoxes, with some additional structure built on the inside. When we are able to use existing boxes, it helps save us time and materials.

For these wooden structures, it was a matter of figuring out which orientation to put them in so they would both fit inside the box and not get in each other’s way when lifted out. To keep them from tipping over, I built a false bottom into which I cut custom holes that hold the base of each model. To help future researchers and staff who use them, I put a photo displaying the correct positioning and labels that match to the models themselves (each one is numbered) for easy matching.

Creating a false bottom and the final box for the wooden models.
Process for creating a false bottom and the final box for the wooden models.

Four of the models were simply too tall for the WonderBoxes, so they got their own custom box.

Four similar sculpture models lined up to figure out best placement
Figuring out placement for four similar models.

As you can see, these are studies for the ultimate design of the sculpture in Harrisburg, so they were more or less the same shape, albeit an abnormal and somewhat unwieldy one. I oriented them all in the same direction, both because it made efficient use of space, but also to allow for a nice presentation within the box. Another false bottom held them in place. Not all of these were securely attached to their gray base. Because of that, I put in a note to “lift from the base”, and I left one wall of the box free to offer better access for that maneuver.

Models in a false bottom; Models inside finished box with one wall open; Closed box with lid
Steps in the procedure of making a custom box for similar objects.

This particular model seemed to have no up or down, and try as I might, I couldn't figure out a way to get it to sit so that it didn't exceed the height of the Wonderbox.

Metal model in different positions to find one that fits a Wonderbox.
Figuring out the positioning of a metal model so that it would fit in a Wonderbox.

While I was pondering the inevitable fact that I would have to make a custom box for this one, a serendipitous visit from our Makerspace Librarian Justin Haynes solved the problem. He fiddled with it and found a position I hadn't tried. Low and behold it would fit in the Wonderbox! We get by with a little help from our friends, and we are lucky to have talented colleagues who can offer casual spatial reasoning advice. (Be sure to check out Justin's blog post about how he 3D printed a model of Dorton Arena for our current exhibit about the history of the NC State Fair!).

I was determined to fit the remaining models into one Wonderbox, so I had to get creative in finding all the negative space around the models to fit them in without being on top of each other. The circular base got a simple circle cutout of corrugated board that holds it in place. Our now familiar hole-in-a-false-bottom structure holds the models with wooden bases. A simple angled wall holds the orb-shaped models in place. 

Final box showing 5 objects
The final box holds various models in place.

I was so excited to find these photos of Gussow at the installation of the final sculpture. It suddenly made sense of the one model that had strings wrapped around it. You can see Gussow holding that model which seems to have informed the attachment of ropes for the lowering down of the real thing. 

Sculpture model with string wrapped around it; Roy Gussow in 1983 holding the same model; The real sculpture is lowered into place in 1983
The “Crystal” sculpture model beside Gussow using it to demonstrate the installation of the sculpture. Photos from https://roygussow.com/

As always, building boxes is one of my favorite activities. Thinking through the space concerns and ways to secure funny shaped objects is a challenge that results in a lot of satisfaction.

If you have any questions or are interested in viewing Special Collections materials, please contact us at library_specialcollections@ncsu.edu or submit a request online. The Special Collections Research Center is open by appointment only. Appointments are available Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm and Saturday, 1pm–5pm. Requests for a Saturday appointment must be received no later than Tuesday of the same week.