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detail matters. Much he Church of St. Mary attention was paid to the Aldermanbury dates architectural detailing of from the 12th Century. shadow lines and the Following its destruction in intersection of materials. the Great Fire of London, the The column to which the church was redesigned in sculpture is anchored is 1677 by the famous architect angled at the top, drawing Sir Christopher Wren. In the eye upward. The angle 1940, it was gutted by allows the sculpture to German bombers. Only the cantilever outward, creating exterior walls and supporting a sense of movement in the columns survived the fire. outstretched arm. In 1946, Winston The landscaping includes Churchill, who as prime feather reed grass, green minister led Britain through velvet boxwood, and royal World War II, made his purple lily turf. Behind the “Iron Curtain” speech at sculpture is a London Westminster College in Planetree. Four solid Fulton, Missouri. A year after limestone Millblock his death in 1965, the warbenches provide seating damaged Church of St. Mary for contemplation. Aldermanbury was The Hanover concrete dismantled and transported pavers that were installed in stone by stone to Westminster the Plaza recall traditional College in his honor. London pavers. Their strong Artifacts and information linear layout serves to relating to Churchill’s life visually connect the street to and times were later installed Winston Churchill Memorial and Library Sculpture Plaza the sculpture. The linear in the undercroft of the design is reinforced in the church and are part of The Fulton, Missouri landscaping. National Churchill Museum. The sculpture, which was designed by St. At night, the space must act as a welcoming The Museum and one of its major Louis artist Don Wiegand, depicts the dramatic spot for pedestrians as well as a beacon for benefactors wanted a way to commemorate the moment when Churchill, standing at the podium the campus and surrounding residential 65th Anniversary, in 2011, of Churchill’s Iron at Westminster with his arm raised and speaking neighborhood. There was originally very little Curtain speech. An unoccupied corner adjacent to into the microphones in front of him, made his light at this intersection, but with the added the Museum’s entrance was selected to house a memorable reference to an “iron curtain.” The lighting bollards at the location of the benches sculpture and serve as a ceremonial entrance and sculpture (an 800 pound bas relief cast in bronze) and a floodlight pole for lighting of the prefunction space for the Museum. and the column to which it is anchored rise 13 sculpture, the Museum’s entry now conveys The Sculpture Plaza was built by feet off the ground. The column intersects with an enhanced sense of welcoming. Professional Contractors & Engineers, Inc. The the base and both are faced with limestone The key to the success of the plaza is the HOK Planning Group was the landscape architect panels. In executing the precise and complex delicate combination of the historic, natural, and designer. Professional Contractors & geometry of the intersecting pieces, the contemporary, and stylized elements. The Engineers mobilized to the Westminster campus carpenters who formed them demonstrated their Winston Churchill Memorial and Library on February 18, 2011. They finished work on true craftsmanship. Sculpture Plaza achieved the client’s goal of time, just before the dedication of the Winston The base is engraved with the words, “With celebrating an epic figure on the historically Churchill Memorial and Library Sculpture Plaza a dramatic gesture, WINSTON CHURCHILL significant site. on May 13, 2011. warned the world--- ‘AN IRON CURTAIN HAS “While Churchill sculptures and statues are The design and construction team as well as DESCENDED ACROSS THE CONTINENT’ many around the world, none capture the ‘Iron the sculptor completed several onsite reviews and March 5, 1946 Fulton Missouri.” Curtain’ address and certainly few capture scale studies prior to the initial castings of the A major goal of the project team was to Churchill the man in quite such a dramatic sculpture. These studies informed the placement, encourage visitor interaction with the sculpture. form,” commented Dr. Rob Havers, Executive height, and desired level of detail required in the In a small plaza of only 3,000 square feet, every Director, The National Churchill Museum. p Sculpture Plaza.
Professional Contractors & Engineers, Inc.
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MODERN BUILDER
April-June 2012