'The Triangle Icon' by Wellington Reiter

As motorists approach RDU they are greeted by an outdoor sculpture that is a symbol of flight and North Carolina's role in aviation history. RDU's Triangle Icon commemorates the 100th anniversary of powered flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903. The sculpture evokes the spirit of invention and serves as a symbol for the Raleigh-Durham region.

A 50-foot tower anchors the work and points skyward, symbolizing man's aspiration to fly. The pair of intersecting wings represents the Wright Brothers and the notion of flight. The 120-foot elliptical ring represents the length of the Wright Brothers' first flight and the circuitous nature of air travel involving time, movement and return.

The Icon is a joint project of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, Durham and Wake Counties and the cities of Durham and Raleigh.

The Triangle Icon was designed by Wellington Reiter of Urban Instruments, Inc. of Boston.