Cascade

Inspired by the cascading white-water Spokane River and the building’s architecture, Cascade is comprised of over 2,000 hand-formed glass water drops spanning more than 130 feet along the north side of the Biomedical Sciences Building, from the 1st to the 4th floor.

Suspended above the grand stairway, the stairway itself becomes a symbolic riverbed, while the glass water splashes leap and flow above it, interpreting the movement and energy of a cascading waterfall through the building.

Clear glass splashes in varying textures convey the rhythm and force of falling water. Accents of colorful dichroic glass evoke autumn leaves, spring flower petals, and native fish, reflecting the seasonal journey of the Spokane River.

Flowing along the north-facing glass walls of the building, the elements are illuminated at night, allowing the sculpture to be seen from across the campus. During the day, they interact with natural light, creating a shimmering, evolving environment experienced both by viewers ascending or descending the stairway beneath the piece and by those observing from the mezzanine.