Costa Del Mar Bait Ball
Ryan Scott leadership set out to bring Costa’s “bait ball” imagery - a swirling formation of sardines - into a physical retail display. The challenge was translating that dynamic motion into a buildable, reliable system.
I stepped in with a concept for how it could work and led the development from idea to engineered solution. Drawing from the geometry of bicycle wheels, I designed a series of rotating rings sharing a central hub, with spokes extending outward to suspend sculpted fish. When driven by a motor, the system creates a continuous, swirling motion that convincingly mimics the behavior of a living bait ball—while remaining practical to fabricate, install, and maintain.
After a successful installation at Fisherman’s Wharf, several more pendants (including one that is 5 feet in diameter!) were hung in multiple stores across the US.