By Daisy Mills
DULUTH, Ga. | Coming soon, at the corner of Sugarloaf Parkway and the I-85 Southbound exit ramp will stand Sugarloaf Community Improvement District’s newest public art project, the Gateway Monument Sculpture. It is expected to be installed in the fall.
Mills
The monument is composed of two tall towers, or spires, that will rest on two large concrete slabs with stone veneer walls. On top of one of the walls, the name “Sugarloaf” will appear in cursive with a lime green color. The tallest spire will reach about 37 feet tall. The cost for the art installation is approximately $300,000.
A project of this size requires significant coordination between the sculptor, Georgia Department of Transportation, Sugarloaf CID staff, engineers, Huie Design (design consultant), and Integrated Sign and Graphic, Inc (the foundation and sign vendor).
To explain more about the process, Sugarloaf CID interviewed the sculptor, Gregory Johnson, for an inside look of what it takes to erect a project like this.
While Johnson is considered the sculptor for this project, he thinks of himself more as a contractor working to execute a specific design. His role is to ensure that each part of the process comes together to create a seamless, visually intriguing design, from the initial sheet metal to the final installation.
The stainless steel makes up the “skin,” or external part, of the spires. Using computer technology, the metal fabricator created “cutting files” that Gregory validated for accuracy. Gregory and his associates labeled each part of the spires. Once the metal was cut, a welder seamed the stainless steel together. To smooth out the welding seams, glass beads were blasted onto the surface, similar to sanding down a rough piece of wood.
Internally, using angle iron and cross-bracing, the skin will be supported by steel rods, called armatures, that extend up into the spires. Integrated Sign & Graphic, Inc. (ISG) will help manage the pouring of the foundation slabs and internal supports. They will transport the walls, which will be constructed off-site, to the area, and then add grey stone to the outside of the walls. A crane will lift the two spires onto their respective foundations, and Gregory will ensure that the two spires are correctly placed and that the armatures are bolted into the concrete foundations.
When we asked Gregory to describe this piece, he says: “It stands tall and dynamic, and it exudes a sense of movement and fluidity.”
The sculpture is not meant to “resemble” any particular item but rather to be individually interpreted by the viewer. Gregory reminds us that this art work will change with the fluctuating natural light around it, its “light envelope.” The lighting of the sunset in summertime will create a different feeling and interaction with the monument than an autumn sunrise.
However, the name, the “Gateway Monument Sculpture” is a guide for how Sugarloaf CID hopes this piece will make others feel; that as people draw near to the monument, the art reminds them that they are crossing over a threshold into “Gwinnett’s Downtown,” the premiere business and entertainment district of the area.
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