Art Meets Algorithm: A New Model for Creative and Engineering Collaboration at Fishermans Bend
At Fishermans Bend, an ambitious flower has bloomed. Not a flower of petals, but one of sensors, servo motors, and sustainability. The Mira Solar Flower was never simply a sculpture or a clever piece of engineering. It was the live test of a new way of working, one where creativity and technical precision inform each other equally. What emerged is the Sustainable Collaboration Framework – a model designed to enable artists and engineers to build together with integrity, rigour, and imagination.
A blueprint for creative and technical partnership
Creative people and engineers often approach the world quite differently. Creatives are trained to explore ambiguity. Engineers are trained to resolve it. But when these two forces work side by side, something more interesting happens.
This new framework is built on the principle of interdisciplinary equity. Artistic and engineering contributions are considered equally vital. The artist’s vision is not a bolt-on, and engineering is not a roadblock. Both shape the project from inception to delivery.
The collaboration embedded design thinking from the outset. Ideas were sketched, modelled, tested, and reworked. FEA and CFD simulations sat alongside storyboards and mood boards. Weekly integration sessions ensured that concepts were not just beautiful, but technically feasible and environmentally sound.
Third-party engineering reviews brought independent verification, keeping the project accountable and de-risked.
Why it matters
Too often, interdisciplinary collaborations falter because they lack structure. Timelines clash, roles are unclear, and the creative intent is watered down to meet compliance.
This project did the opposite.
From the beginning, the objectives of the Mira Solar Flower were aligned with corporate values: innovation, sustainability, public engagement, and future-focused thinking.
Engineers from Siemens Mobility were given permission to stretch outside their usual remits. Designers at Pelican Studios were supported to engage deeply with industrial systems. The collaboration offered professional enrichment for all involved, allowing people to apply their skills in new and unexpected ways.
The result was not only a kinetic solar-powered flower, but a working prototype of what real creative-technical collaboration can look like in practice.
Lessons learned
What did we learn? That structure matters. That shared language – whether in CAD files, sketches, or communication protocols – is essential. That trust grows when engineering decisions are independently reviewed and clearly documented.
We also learned that innovation thrives when people are invited to think differently, but within a framework that keeps the project grounded in reality.
Yes, there were challenges. Artistic workflows tend to move differently to engineering timelines. But those differences were navigated through shared values, transparent governance, and a commitment to continual learning.
What comes next
This is just the beginning. The Sustainable Collaboration Framework is now being offered as a model for other projects across the Fishermans Bend innovation precinct. It is suitable for digital art, renewable energy installations, infrastructure, and beyond.
We need more projects that sit at the intersection of creativity and complexity. We need art that is technically robust. Engineering that is inspired. And processes that are as sustainable as the works they produce.
The Mira Solar Flower may have been a single artwork. But the framework behind it is a seed for something much larger. A new way of working. A new kind of partnership.
And perhaps, a new kind of future.
Join us at our panel on collaboration
Join us to explore how this project and others supported by FB IDEAs are unlocking new forms of collaboration where art meets engineering in Fishermans Bend - and the value of industry partnerships that make it happen. You’ll hear from the team at Pelican Studios and Siemens Mobility who worked together on the Miro Solar Flower project. We will also be chatting to artist Yandell Walton and the partners behind Re:cultivate, a three-month creative residency initiated by the Australian Network for Art & Technology (ANAT) and supported by South East Water.
Hosted by FB IDEAs, the event will include a panel discussion, followed Q&A and networking drinks.
FREE, but registrations essential.
When: Tuesday 21 October, 4 to 6pm
Where: FB IDEAs Hub
