Client: GoKotta and Grubbs Properties

Overview

Crushed coal and historical ledgers from the 1930’s and the 1940’s are preserved in cast acrylic cubes to commemorate the history of this site, as it was formerly the Herrin Brothers Coal and Ice Factory. This location is now the site of the Link Apartments in the Noda area of Charlotte, NC. The sculpture hangs in the lobby / mail room area, and it’s meant to reference a cloud and also an iceberg: a cloud as a nod to the cloud mural on the outside of the building, but also as a nod to the shifting nature of the Noda community, and the iceberg references the history of the ice factory, but also a reminder that there is more to the history of this area than what is visible on the surface.

Goals

We wanted a sculpture that would commemorate the history of the site, but also to provide residents with an opportunity to contemplate the current changes and innovations in the area, and also to create interesting light and shadow that activates the space and draws people into the building.

Process

I worked with GoKotta and Grubbs properties, and they gave me a box of old ledgers of ice and coal deliveries from the 1930's and 40's. I was asked to use these documents in an interesting way, that would create a place for contemplation in the entrance of the building. I created a 3D render of my idea, and I also created some prototypes of the cast acrylic cubes, so they could get a sense of scale and understand the materials.