Engine 32 ½

About This Project

Engine 32 ½ — Seattle, WA — 2017

Engine 32 ½ is a public sculpture commissioned by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture as part of the LEED Platinum rebuild of Fire Station 32 in West Seattle. Integrated vertically to the building’s facade, this site-specific public art installation uses a  playful form as a civic-scale gesture of imagination and care.

Inspired by a handmade wooden toy fire truck gifted to the station by a beloved community member, Engine 32 ½ reimagines the object at 3/4th scale as an airborne apparatus—part machine, part memory. Its elongated ladders curvetoward the sky, its headlights illuminate the Station’s front door in the evenings, and its form suggests motion, urgency, and quiet heroism. Like many of Sean Orlando’s sculptures, this work bridges the language of engineering with the emotional resonance of nostalgia. It invites viewers to see infrastructure not just as function, but as story—imbued with history, community, and human meaning. Developed in collaboration with architects and city partners, the sculpture is fully integrated into the building’s vertical structure, and the engine depicted is an homage to the original Engine 32 operated by Seattle firefighting legend Steve Stanislo.

Fabricated by Engineered Artworks, Engine 32 ½ exemplifies Orlando’s approach to public art and large-scale sculpture, transforming familiar forms into experiential moments that bring wonder into everyday spaces.

Materials: Painted steel, aluminum, integrated lighting
Dimensions: 26′ x 4′ x 5′
Commissioned by: Seattle Office of Arts & Culture