A new piece of artwork has been installed in the recently constructed Hach Hall chemistry building, located behind Davidson Hall and the Armory. The work, “elemental,” is a large-scale piece made of Plexiglass, aluminum and LED lights.

For Seattle-based artist Norie Sato, “elemental“ is her second work for Iowa State. She has previously created the water work, “One Now All,” in Palmer Hall.

After nearly 40 years in the profession, Sato was selected for the project in 2009, based on her experience with public artwork. For the last year, Sato has been working on the project in its many different stages.

The piece contains numerous glass and metal panels installed along the walls of the lobby of the building. The project began earlier in 2009, and the complete artwork is scheduled to be finished before the fall semester.

The art is a combination of patterns and materials inspired by elements and molecular bonds Sato hopes will inspire chemistry students.

“[‘Elemental’] is all about chemistry. It involves a lot of patterns,” Sato said. “Students can come in, study it and find patterns that make sense to them.”