Rochester construction company donates sculpture to RIT

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), May 22, 2008 by Danielle Derringer

The Pike Company, a construction firm headquartered in Rochester, installed a steel teaching structure outside the Rochester Institute of Technology's new College of Applied Science and Technology Building Wednesday, which will serve as a work of public art while providing students with a visual teaching tool to better understand steel framing.

The concept of the sculpture was started in 1986 by a professor at the University of Florida, according to Abi Aghayere, professor and acting chair of the Civil Engineering Technology Department at RIT.

Aghayere said the sculpture is an excellent and unique teaching aid that will help enhance the visual understanding of steel framing members and their connections in several courses taught at RIT.

"In class we describe these members and connections through pictures and videos," Aghayere said. "Now students can see what we're talking about; they can touch it, feel it and understand better."

The sculpture is eight feet high and is connected at the base to a concrete pier that is supported by a concrete foundation.

Since 1986, more than 130 sculptures have been built on college campuses across the country, including Clarkson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Stevens Institute of Technology.

Ray Freeman, vice president of The Pike Company said that because the structure had a set design, Pike's role was to provide the materials and put it together.

"When RIT asked us if we would provide them a sculpture, we really saw a need for it and thought it would be a great opportunity," Freeman said.

A dedication ceremony is planned for a later date. For more information visit www.rit.edu or www.pikeco.com.