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Kimpton hotel Marlowe armillary sculpture

World, Meet Celeste

Steampunk-style sculpture in Cambridge, MA

A modern, artistic take on a traditional armillary

Look who checked into our Kimpton Marlowe Hotel courtyard! Meet Celeste, a 25-foot-tall, moving Steampunk-style sculpture that’s made of reclaimed metals, steel and gears. How is that for a grand entrance?

Celeste creates an engaging and interactive experience from the get-go—a modern, artistic and certainly funky take on a traditional armillary sphere. She celebrates the innovation and technology that defines our Kendall Square neighborhood and Cambridge home.

With a dramatic spire pointing towards Boston’s skies, the 6,000-plus-pound sculpture features gears that rotate and move. Celeste also lights up at night, evoking different responses every time you’re in her mighty presence. As an interpretation of the many armillaries scattered throughout our hotel, this memorable piece represents a fusion of art and machine. So grab a courtyard bench, and watch as our beloved Steampunk-fueled celestial friend delights and wows, inspiring thoughts of the past, present and future.

Fun Facts About Celeste

Kimpton lives by a “source locally” motto, even when it comes to hiring artists to dive into commissioned projects. That’s why we enlisted Bruce Rosenbaum and his company ModVic, plus the talented team at Salmon Studios in Florence, Massachusetts, to fabricate this dramatic creation.

Kimpton Marlowe hotel armillary sculpture courtyard

Patience is a virtue. Celeste took more than a year to create, totaling an estimated 6,000 hours to design, fabricate and install. For the actual installation, the 6,000-plus-pound sculpture arrived at the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel —in one piece—on a flatbed truck. Now that’s what we call magic.

Kimpton Marlowe hotel armillary sculpture snow outside

We’re all about interactive experiences and piqued imaginations, and we count on Celeste to help us achieve that here at Marlowe. Our leading lady lights up and changes colors throughout the night; her 100-plus-year-old gears, which move and revolve, originally came from on old water mill in New Hampshire. We promise you’ll be mesmerized, too.

Kimpton marlowe hotel armillary at night

Celeste, the Steampunk Armillary

See the production of our Steampunk-style armillary, Celeste.