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Tampa Design Philosophy
The Design Philosophy for
Cancer Survivor's Plaza, Tampa, Florida In society today, Cancer continues to be a taboo word. The sheer mention of Cancer brings terror to many of us. For most this is not without justification. We have lost mothers and fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends. Surviving Cancer is often thought of as a hopeful dream, not a real possibility. As I began to work on this project, I came to the realization that I didn't know much about this thing, this disease, this terrorist called Cancer. Today, I still know very little about the disease, but I have learned a few very important facts. I know that it can reveal itself in many forms. I know that it can hide very well. I know it can destroy, but I also know that it can be defeated. The most significant thing that I have learned, though, is that for many who have had Cancer, their lives have taken on new meaning. No longer do they go through life assuming there will be a tomorrow. For many, life began again once they found out they had Cancer. They have discovered what many healthy people never learn; that we all are here on this earth but for a brief moment in time and that time is precious and valuable. Surviving Cancer is a challenge for many, but living life to its fullest is a challenge for everyone. Tampa's Cancer Survivor's Plaza is designed to help us understand Cancer and identify our fears, take action to confront those fears head on, and then discover the reward of celebrating every precious day of our lives. These poignant themes are represented through the three main components of the project: Understanding Cancer, the Road to Recovery, and Life Celebration. Understanding Cancer: Cancer finds its way into our lives in many ways, but the impact of discovering you have Cancer is a renewed understanding that we are all mortal. No matter who we think we are, we must confront our fear of death, examine the discomfort and pain of the disease and its treatment, and wrestle with the social impact of a changed appearance. "Understanding Cancer" is a raised sculpture platform located at the end of a sidewalk that extends 400 feet north of the Life Celebration Plaza. The central feature of the platform is a 13 foot cone shaped stone monument encircled by a 24 foot suspended aluminum "Halo" supporting 48 individual pieces of artwork: drawings, songs, and poetry by children who have been diagnosed with a form of Cancer. The platform is elevated above grade to make everyone feel exposed, unable to hide from the truth which is revealed through the art of the children. The artwork then, in turn, reveals the hopes and fears that truly help us all understand the disease. The Road to Recovery: Once you have confronted your fears and understand your challenge, you must take action. The Road to Recovery requires you to leave your place of understanding and take a journey of new challenges and discovery. The journey is represented by a 400 foot walk leading from Understanding Cancer to Life Celebration. Along the way you will want to read the insights and clues that are necessary for you to succeed in your journey to survive. You will also confront massive challenges that seem at times too large to overcome. The clues come in the form of 6 plaques located at seating rest stops along the path. Each plaque provides specific advice for committing to fight the disease, gaining knowledge, seeking treatment, conditioning your body and maintaining a healthy mental outlook. Adjacent to the path, 4 massive grass "waves" symbolize the challenges that must be confronted. The waves range in height from 4 feet to 15 feet and appear graceful and inviting from a distance; but, when you get closer, you begin to realize that their steep face cannot easily be scaled and overcoming them will require courage, wisdom, and stamina. Life Celebration: At the end of the Road to Recovery you find the heart of the project, a large outdoor room where Life is Celebrated. Here, everything stimulates your senses to be alive. The Plaza is encircled by a 120 foot in diameter walk which is surrounded by 14 additional plaques encouraging us to survive. The walk on one half of the plaza is covered by a simple arc shaped aluminum trellis covered with bougainvillea; the other half of the walk is shaded by date palm trees. The space is enclosed by a Living Wall planted with native dwarf gamma grass which sways, peacefully separating the space from the noise of the adjacent road. Rising out of the center of the Plaza is a 60 foot tall cable and fabric sculpture of 6 sails rotating around a single mast. The sail is lit at night to be a beacon of hope calling people into the Plaza. The ground surrounding the mast is planted with thousands of flowering perennial plants. |
