Bicoastal architecture firm FreelandBuck designs a momentous sculptural artwork for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Office Building in Alexandria, VA. Tunnel Vision is a work of optical illusion, in which an image of one metro station is projected on three large intersecting oval-shaped aluminum cones.

Suspended in the building’s lobby, the sculpture is impressive in scale as it spans 10’ high and 14’ in diameter. Its multicolored effect is particularly striking within the glass and concrete building. A 3D image of the iconic coffered underground stations designed by Harry Weese is digitally printed on its surface, paying homage to the history, architecture and experience of the local metro system. The installation is visible from the street, entry vestibule, plaza, lobby and the floor below.

At once decorative and functional, light radiates out of the sculpture’s gridded pattern into the lobby. Its convex shape loosely evokes the coffered stations. When standing directly below, it looks as if you’re on the platform while the train is approaching from afar. The piece suggests both realism and familiarity, inciting curiosity for passersby to come take a closer look.

Co-founder Brennan Buck will be on location to speak about the artwork in a talk hosted by the City of Alexandria Office of the Arts and WMATA on April 30.