Cree Shimmer Wall

I remember the first handful of times I saw the Cree Shimmer Wall, I wasn’t familiar with the city at that time and had no idea where the wall was actually located (FYI: downtown is not that big, but as a Durham resident, it took me a while to accustom myself to the various in’s and out’s), so it was always an amazing surprised when I happened to stumble upon it or drive past it. This passive wall, made out of small aluminum panels, was donated by a local RTP company: Cree. Cree specializes in LEDs, and donated lights to brighten the wall at night, and let me tell you, those colorful lights will steal your breath away. Whether you’re walking from The Depot towards downtown, going to a concert at the Red Hat Amphitheater or grabbing a bite a Poole’s Dinner or Fiction Kitchen, I highly recommend a side trip to admire this work of art. The City of Oaks (Raleigh), adorned by this massive (non-​acorn admitting) oak tree.

We set out to really stop and look at the Cree Shimmer Wall after driving by it so many times. As recommended on Unilocal,the view from the bridge on Boylan Street (adjacent to 201 S. Boylan Ave.) is pretty good, and I imagine that at night it would be amazing. There are some really good reviews here with lots of detail about the wall so I won’t repeat. But, I will say whether you are new to Raleigh or a long time resident, I recommend you stop and really look at the Shimmer Wall. Such a simple, low/​no-​tech project that is just gorgeous. It’s hypnotic, and inspiring.

LOVE.
Great art is happening in downtown Raleigh and the Cree Shimmer Wall is no exception.
I cannot imagine how this was installed but it did not look easy. It is impressive however. Raleigh is pretty.

Mad. Cool.
(Of course they were setting Red Hat Amphitheater for Shinedown concert the day I went to see the wall, so whole downtown Raleigh gone mad hatter, but consider it as part of experience)
Over 9,000 sq ft wall designed by Clearscapes with LED lights donated by Cree. It made with 80,000 metal panels, moving in the wind and creating rippling effect. Some panels are fixed, and paint a picture of old Oak Tree, to commemorate Raleigh nickname, City of Oaks.
Like a reflection of Oak Tree in the water, rippling and changing, it representing the city that stands for it’s past and changing for the future.
This is grand.

Beautiful to see!

Spectacular wind catcher combining beauty and function
The Cree Shimmer Wall is 9,284 ft2 piece of art covering the west side of the Raleigh Convention Center. This work of art hides the extensive air conditioning and mechanical systems for the building so that 80,000 cars passing by daily can enjoy the beautiful design instead of the unsightly chilling and heating equipment. The wall is made from light and dark aluminum squares depicting an oak tree since Raleigh is the City of Oaks. No public funds were used to build it. Cree, a local company that manufactures the light emitting diodes (LEDs) used to backlight the wall, donated a $ 1M. The aluminum squares behave like leaves that wave in the wind causing a shimmer effect.
Across the street from the Shimmer Wall is the Red Hat Amphitheater. I have attended many concerts at the amphitheater and several artists have commented about the wall. The Barenaked Ladies were so impressed with the Shimmer Wall that they improvised a rap about the wall. At night the myriad of colors is a lively, shining spectacle. The wall is highly visible from many locations throughout downtown particularly as you drive north into downtown Raleigh on McDowell Street. For a completely unobstructed view, check out the wall from the bridge on Boylan Street and enjoy the light show while sipping a cold brew at the Boylan Bridge Brew Pub. Another awesome view of the Shimmer Wall is from the hill on the Dorothea Dix property, which makes an intimate, romantic spot to have a nighttime picnic with your special someone. The Cree Shimmer Wall is an iconic symbol lighting up the downtown Raleigh skyline.