Created as the outcome of a collaborative research project between Kyoei Steel’s Kanto Works and the University of Tsukuba, this work brings together the company’s “Ethical Steel” and Tsuchiura’s bicycle culture, which is deeply rooted in the city where the plant is located.

The material used in the work is Ethical Steel, a steel product manufactured by Kyoei Steel. The piece expresses the process of resource circulation—in which scrap metal is transformed into new products—through the image of bicycle wheels driven by human power and a chain linked into a single continuous loop.

A bicycle cannot move forward unless someone presses the pedals. In this sense, its structure reflects both the passion of each employee who produces steel and supports society, and the company’s commitment to moving forward together with the local community. By linking the strength of steel with the light, circular motion of the bicycle, the work aspires to become a symbol of coexistence that continues moving toward the future from the city of Tsuchiura.

Commemorative installation ceremony: Sunday, November 17, 2025
Location: Kanto Works, Kyoei Steel Ltd. (Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan)
Kyoei Steel official website: https://www.kyoeisteel.co.jp/
Azuma Studio Co., Ltd.: https://azumakobo.com/