Official Web Site of the City of Phoenix

The designs for the 48 panels of the transfer bridge were derived from original blueprints for 22 seminal aircraft designs. A series of poems, aphorisms, and quotations about the ideas, dreams, and experiences of dreams are also a part of the design. By using a high-energy beam gas laser, the line drawings and narrative has been etched very precisely into the outer surface of the glass. As windows take the incoming daylight, the lines become translucent, a breaking of the visual field that floats between the eye and the exterior spectacle. At night, the contrast between shiny glass and surfacing on the lines allows the viewer to see the drawings as hanging between the reflection of themselves and the terminal’s interior and exterior lights.



Lewis deSoto’s optimism shines into his artwork. In fighting the odds of designing a piece for a difficult space, deSoto used his imagination to create a work that transcends the usual expectations of two-dimensional art.

DeSoto was faced with the dilemma of creating artwork for a bridge that connects departing gates to the rest of the terminal. The area is one of busy traffic and narrow space. Placing anything in the center would disturb the flow of people getting to their flights. At the same time, the walls are made of windows, leaving no room for two-dimensional work in the corridor.

Using a high-energy beam gas laser, deSoto solved these problems by etching into the windows, creating a subtle visual element to the crowded corridor. The drawings depict blueprints from aircraft designs, reminding visitors of the magic of technology and flight. As light moves in through the windows, the lines of the drawings give a slight shadow, hinting at the unique presentation without distracting from the task of travel.

About the Artist
Born in 1954, Lewis deSoto lives in Napa, California, and is a professor of art at San Francisco State University. Over the past two decades, deSoto’s artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States as well as in England, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Known for public projects and sculptural installations that often incorporate sound, video and theatrical lighting, deSoto brings to his work a strong interest in archaeology, anthropology, sociology, and world religions.