Colorado School of Mines

Center for Technology and Learning Media

The Gordian Knot
Douglas Kornfeld, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Budget: $55,600
Installed June, 2008
Douglas’s concept was inspired by the legend of the Gordian Knot, where Alexander the Great in 333 B.C.E was wintering in Gordium and attempted to untie the legendary knot.  Upon finding no end to the knot and no way to unbind it, he sliced it in half with a stroke of his sword.  Today the term “Gordian Knot” is used as a metaphor for a difficult or intractable problem solved by a bold stroke, a concept that engineers should enjoy.

The Gordian Knot was fabricated in Denver from 2” stainless steel tube.

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