Client: Arlington Economic Development, Penzance

Location: Arlington, VA, United States

Completion date: 2021

Artwork budget: $135,000

Project Team

Design and Architectural Integration

Eli Hess

Fabrication Assistance

Jon Maxwell

Jon Maxwell Studios

Fabrication Assistance

Kyle Miller

Structural Engineering

Chris Werner

Ehlert Bryan

Construction Coordination

Chris Fromherz

Whiting Turner

Overview

Designed to emulate the nozzle of a fire hose spraying water, this sculpture commemorates the hard work and dedication of the members of Fire Station 10 as they relocate to their new station. The sculpture is comprised of a 5-foot-tall bronze nozzle, 21 feet of spiraling stainless steel pipe, and an integral lighting element.

Goals

Penzance and Arlington Economic Development combined their resources to orchestrate and fund this public art opportunity, aimed at commemorating the impact of the women and men of Fire Station 10 on their community. The goal was to create an icon to make the firefighters proud every time they drive their trucks through the bay doors before or after a call.

Process

Penzance and Arlington Economic Development put out an initial Call for Art and subsequent request for proposal, which was won by the artist team of David and Eli Hess. The team conducted a site visit and met with the fire battalion to gain inspiration for the project. The team also attended the community meeting in which Penzance presented the development and art component. The team spent a year fabricating the sculpture before installing it on the side of the building during the final phase of construction.