The Official Proposal
Project Description: We propose to create two sculptures. The sculpture on the Southeast site will be 18 feet tall and have 3 cattails. The one on the larger Northeast site will be 24 feet tall and have 5 cattails.
The stems and male flowers (the tip above the brown pod) will be made of galvanized steel tubes. The female flowers (the quintessential brown pod) will be assembled from stacked cedar disks.
In the first few years, the cedar female flower will appear a reddish-brown, but with time, just like a real cattail plant, the cedar will weather to a silvery gray.
We plan to plant hearty native grasses at the base of the sculpture, forming the leaves of the giant cattail. The grass we are considering is called Golden Sunset (Sorghastrum nutans MNYG318153).
The mix of galvanized steel, wood and live plants will create a living sculpture that will change and age with the years and the seasons.
Why cattails? We are looking for imagery that will be joyful and uplifting and feel natural in this urban setting. It’s something that may become iconic… “Where do you live?” “In Richfield by the giant cattails.”
Three Cattails Site
The “Three Urban Cattails” sculpture has the following specs:
- The sculpture height is 18’ from the ground plane.
- The stems are made of 16’ tall, 2.5” galvanized steel tubes. A minimum of 1’ will be inserted into the mounting pipes. The top 5′ of the stem is covered by the seedpod.
- The cedar seedpod is 9” in diameter and 5’ tall.
- The top tips are 3’ tall and made from 1” galvanized steel tubes.
- The bend radius is 100′ and10′ long, starting 1′ from the bottom and ending 5′ from the top of the stem pipe.
- The bore hole is 5’ in diameter and 4’ deep, ensuring the foundation is below the frost line.
- The sonotube is 30” in diameter by 4’ deep.
Five Cattail Site
The image above shows the 5 Cattail sculpture at 24’ foot tall, in scale with a rendering of the Northeast plaza. We do not have a visualization of the building at this location.
The “Five Urban Cattails” sculpture has the following specs:
- The sculpture height is 23’ from the ground plane.
- The stems are made of 21’ tall, 3” galvanized steel tubes. A minimum of 1’ will be inserted into the mounting pipes.
- The cedar seedpod is 11” in diameter and 6’ tall.
- The top tips are 3’ tall and made from 1” galvanized steel tubes.
- The bend radius is 100′ and14′ long, starting 1′ from the bottom and ending 6′ from the top of the stem pipe.
- The bore hole is 6’ in diameter and 4’ deep, ensuring the foundation is below the frost line.
- The sonotube is 36” in diameter by 4’ deep.
Installation Methodology & Responsibilities
The three illustrations below describe the installation method for both sculptures. The second paragraph suggests who provides what, and who does what during the installation.
The hole is 6’ in diameter and 4’ deep. The sonotube is 36” in diameter and 4’ deep. The 5 pipes are 3” in diameter and 4’ deep. The 2 sets of rebars are welded and securely attached to the sonotube.There is a second set of welded rebars 3’ down.
The hole is filled with 1-inch stone, 18” deep. The stainless steel stems are positioned for aesthetics, then securely epoxied into the pipes.
Soil appropriate to grow tall grass fills the rest of the hole.
Justin Hossle and Remo Campopiano will weld together the pipe/rebar assembly and attach it to the sonotube. We provide this casting unit complete with sonotube.
The RF64 construction team bores the 6’ hole, casts the concrete and supplies the stone and loam.
We will mount the cattails and plant the tall grass.