stone schematic

here is a schematic drawing of what the stone installation may look like (engineering pending).

ink jade limestone

i think i have found the perfect stone. a sample is being shipped from china. ink jade limestone has the advantage of weathering very well, features a naturalistic cleft and can handle a wide range of surface treatments. the white veins are a unique feature of this stone, bound to appear randomly throughout each piece. though it is dark, limestone won't be too hot in the summer sun. perfect. this image shows how the stone handles different surfacing techniques. the stones for the park will be honed on the front (south side) with deep cleft on the back (north side). the north side will gather moisture, and moss, settling in nicely over time. the south side will remain smooth and clean to the touch, providing a fine surface for sighting through the oculi.

the search for stone

honed granite

for the past three weeks i have been learning all about stone. on my drafting table are eleven samples of granite, two chunks of sandstone and a square block of something red with one side honed, one side polished, one side hammered, and a cleft finished top. it is remarkable to see how different finishes bring out different qualities in different stones. i also learned that stone is heavy...very heavy. each stone will weigh approx. 5,000 lbs -- roughly the weight of my pick-up truck. the finished dimensions will be 5-6 ft. tall, 18" wide, and 12" deep. the stones must be massive in order to register as both objects and places within the vastness of the park environment. for this reason, i am leaning towards using a dark grey granite that will have a bit of visual contrast among the natural grasses and trees, but not be so dark that it will become too hot in the summer sun. hopefully the sun will come out one of these days, so that i can test the samples. more pictures coming soon...