Boston, MA
Symphony Park Sculpture
Scope/Solutions
As part of Symphony Park’s redesign, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department collaborated with the Boston Art Commission and the Friends of Symphony Park to select Jacob Kulin to design a sculpture for the park. Celebrating the nearby Berklee College of Music and Symphony Hall, Kulin’s design embraces the shapes of string instruments in his modern Scandinavian style. SGH consulted on the structural design for the 16 ft tall sculpture, First Chair.
SGH analyzed and evaluated the proposed structure for the sculpture, comprising Cor-ten steel, stainless steel, bronze, and granite. Highlights of our work include the following:
- Recommended modifications to the proposed design to increase stability and durability
- Designed the precast concrete foundation and the sculpture’s anchorage
- Detailed stone seat and curb
- Prepared permit drawings and foundation package drawings
- Performed parametric modeling of sculpture hardware and developed renderings and animations to demonstrate the design to approvers
- Provided the fabrication team with direct-to-digital fabrication files for the steel components
- Developed assembly and shop erection drawings
- Reviewed foundation and stonework shop drawings to compare with the design intent
Photo by Pate Landscape Architecture
Photo by Pate Landscape Architecture
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Project Summary
2016
Completion Date
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures
Markets
Culture & Entertainment
Client(s)
Kulin Modern
Key team members
John Thomsen
Managing Principal, New Structural Design, Boston
Additional Projects
Northeast
Tubular Bells at Lafayette Square
As part of this project, Adam Simha, a Cambridge-based artist and metalsmith, designed Tubular Bells to give visitors an opportunity to play music in Lafayette Square. SGH consulted on the structural design for the bells’ support structures.
Northeast
Harvard University, The Grove, We All
In November 2016, the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announced an inaugural design-build competition for an installation in The Grove at the intersection of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. SGH consulted on the structural design for the project.