Client: UNC - Charlotte

Location: Charlotte, NC, United States

Completion date: 2023

Artwork budget: $1,250,000

Project Team

Artist

Bill Washabaugh

Hypersonic

Software Artist

Perry Naseck

Hypersonic

Landscape Architect

Maura Rockcastle

Ten X Ten

Landscape Architect

Katie Kelley

Ten X Ten

Landscape Architect

Susan Hatchell

SHLA

Senior Project Manager

Jennifer Steed

SHLA

Overview

The Constellation Garden is a remembrance memorial dedicated to the lives of Riley Howell, Reed Parlier, and all those affected by the terrible events of April 30th, 2019 at UNC-Charlotte.

The memorial includes an interactive sculpture made of large steel arcs grounded with six pillars, one to represent each person killed and wounded. The crisscrossing arcs rise 25’ above a white granite plaza, creating a voluminous ceiling that hovers above a circular gathering space embraced by planted landforms and an arc of trees, flowers, and plants.

A web of thin cables is anchored by the arcs and holds an array of lights, suspended against the sky. These lights are frozen in a map of the constellations of stars in the night sky on April 30, 2019, at a moment when time stopped for all of those affected by this tragedy. Light ripples quietly and slowly across the sculpture, representing the ever-present constellation of trauma, pain, and loss caused by gun violence.

Goals

The goal of the project was to create a memorial to the people and events of April 30, 2019 at UNC-Charlotte. We wanted to create a space that is at once delicate, strong, reflective, and ephemeral. We wanted the landscape to hold the sculpture carefully and softly within it, integrating additional opportunities for seating for contemplation, and reflection, and remembrance.

Process

This project was a collaboration between Hypersonic, Ten X Ten Landscape Architecture, and Susan Hatchell Landscape Architecture, PLLC. The three companies collaborated across all facets of the project from concept design through project completion.