columbia archives walking tour - town center
DESCRIPTION
Lake Kittamaqundi is the heart of Columbia’s downtown. Learn more about the art and architecture that contribute to the sense of place.TRANSCRIPT
Walking TourLake Kittamaquandi is the core of Columbia’s downtown. Theplazas, fountain and grassy knolls are people places – the site ofColumbia’s annual birthday celebration in June, festivals,fireworks and nightly entertainment during the summer. It wasdesigned to be this way: Kittamaquandi takes its name from anIndian word meaning “meeting place.”
Colu
mbia
Lakefr
ont
For more information about Columbia and its history visit the Columbia Archives10227 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD 21044 • [email protected] • ColumbiaArchives.org
n The People Tree by Pierre duFayet isColumbia’s most visible and symbolic sculpture. Thiscivic monument is the artistic interpretation ofColumbia’s goal to create an environment thatcontributes to the growth of people and fosterscommunity spirit. Sixty-six abstract human figures reachout from a central core like a tree in full bloom. The feetare joined suggesting people working together, whilearms are reaching out, symbolizing the spirit ofindividual intellectual and artistic growth. DuFayet wasan industrial designer and commercial artist hired byThe Rouse Company in 1965 to work on the Columbiaproject and to design the logo and public art. He hademigrated from Paris to New York in 1956 searching fornew ideas and was experimenting with technologiessuch as solar cells and lightweight concrete in hissculpture before joining TRC. The People Tree utilizesfiberglass to create a sculpture light enough to sit atopthe slender trunk. Gold leaf provides the sparkle. An brick-paved plaza surrounds the People Tree.
The personalized pavers began as part of a lakefrontrevitalization project marking Columbia’s 25th birthdayin 1992. Columbians continue to purchase bricksperiodically when the Columbia Association (CA) offersthe program. Finding bricks of friends and family hasturned into a popular activity and CA now has acomputerized locator map (ColumbiaAssociation.org) toassist individuals in locating the randomly placedmarkers. Gazing out to Lake Kittamaqundi from theplaza is Nomanisan Island, so named by resident AlanLevine in a 1980 community contest. n The fountain designed by Columbia’s chief
planner Mort Hop pen feld, is an integral part of thedowntown design. Inspired by the kind of participatoryfountain found in the Tivoli Gardens in Rome, thepathway around and under the fountain beckons visitorsin warm weather. nThe wharf tower holds twelve carillon bells that
were installed in June 1977 in honor of Columbia’s 10thbirthday. Two bells were added in 1979. The bells areprogrammed to peal Westminster Chimes on the hour.n Dealings, the life-size bronze figures of James
Rouse, founder of Columbia and The Rouse Company,and his brother Willard, who served as executive vicepresident, is by William Duffy. It is the only sculptural
continued on next page
3
representation of James Rouse inthe city he created and was installedhere in July 2002 by CA in honor ofColumbia’s 35th birthday. JamesRouse died in 1996; the statuereminds people of his vision for abetter city for all people. Dealingswas originally commissioned in1986 by Rouse and Associates, adevelopment firm headed byWillard’s son Bill Rouse, to honorthe caring nature and wisdom of theRouse family and the memory ofWillard who died in the early 1970s.For several years it markedthe entrance to the Columbiaoffice of that company beforebeing purchased by CA. The white, terraced build -
ing is the headquarters of n The Rouse Com pany,developer of Columbia, aswell as shopping centers andfestival marketplaces such asBaltimore’s Harborplace,Boston’s Fanueil Hall andNew York’s South StreetSeaport. This is an early workof the now well-knownarchitect Frank Gehry. Thebuilding was honored by theAmerican Institute ofArchitects as “one of themost humane office buildings,”when it opened in 1974. On thelawn is n Sail, a large abstract steelsculpture by James Arthur Benson.“The sculpture,” says the artist,“admits that it’s steel but has aplayfulness, too. It relates to theenvironment, particularly because itis a wind activated piece.”A path continues around the lake
for about a half mile. Benches andwildflower plantings create a serenesetting and an alternative view ofColumbia’s skyline. The path endsin a typical Columbia cul de sac andthe n Kennedy Gardens. TheGardens were dedicated in 1998 to
honor Padraic Kennedy, presidentof the Columbia Association from1972 to 1998. On the street level, in the bosk
over looking the plaza, is n TheHug a bronze sculpture by JimiluMason. It was a gift to the com mu -nity from The Rouse Company andEnterprise Devel op ment Corpor -ation in honor of the late MortHoppenfeld. As Vice President ofThe Rouse Company, Hoppenfelddirected the planning and design ofColumbia from its earliest pre-
development days until 1975. In1982 he returned to Columbia towork with Enterprise Develop mentCorpora tion. Hop pen feld died in1985 at the age of 56. According tothe artist, the work reflects“Columbia as Mort envisioned it —a city of love, a city for lovers.”Mason is well represented in theWashington area. Other worksinclude the bust of PresidentLyndon Johnson in the U.S.Capitol; Brio, a bronze dancingman in Alexandria, Virginia; andthe Completed Circle waterfall inColumbia Mall.
Adjacent to the bosk is the
nAmerican City Build ing. Thebuilding’s name reflects its earlyhistory as home of the American CityCorporation, a one-time RouseCompany sub sidi ary dedicated toimproving the quality of life inexisting cities. The building is nowhome to Enterprise Foun da tion, thecompany founded by James Rouseand his wife Patty to address theconcerns of affordable housing inAmerica. It also is the home of theColumbia Archives. Visit Columbia Archives for more
information about the public art,the history of Columbia and thecareer of James Rouse.n Bear and Nursing Cubs isplaced at the corner of theAmerican City Building. It waspurchased by The Rouse Companyto mark the company’s 30thanniversary. The artist is BeniaminoBufano, an Italian sculptor whomoved to the United States as achild and lived most of his life inSan Francisco. Bufano did a seriesof large, simple stone animalsculptures that invite people totouch, sit or climb on them. Moreof his work can be seen at the
Bufano Sculpture Garden locatedon the Baltimore campus of JohnsHopkins University.The nColumbia Association
Welcome Center is located at10221 Wincopin Circle inColumbia’s first general office space,originally named to honor TeachersAnnuity and Insurance Company, anearly financial backer of the Columbiaproject. Columbia Association iscommitted to preserving the vision ofColumbia and enhancing the qualityof life for people living and working
in Columbia.
Other Public Artn Gateway Corporate ParkBeaver Den by Jim DolanBoy and Girl by William DuffyPair of Canada Geeseby Jim DolanPair of Red Foxesby Jim DolanMountain Lion by Jim Dolan
n Oakland Mills Village CenterCelestial Serenadeby Rodney Carroll
n Wilde Lake Village CenterFamily by Pierre du Fayet
n Snowden CenterCaracol by Mary Ann Mears
n Long Reach Village CenterHalibrick by Christina McCleary
n Columbia MallCompleted Circle by Jimilu Mason
n Rivers Technology ParkFamily of Canadas by Jim DolanPair on Alert by Jim DolanRising Mallards by Jim Dolan
n Rivers Business CommonsFishing Bears by Jim Dolan
n 2891 Broken Land Pkwy.Receptor by Phil Nicols
n The Greens in Clary’s ForestUntitled by Don Shepard
continued from previous page
ABOVE The Tree of Life or
People Tree, the symbol of
Columbia. RIGHT Bear and
Nursing Cubs, portrays
the theme of family. BELOW
Dealings, Columbia’s founder
James Rouse and his
brother Willard LEFT A large
abstract steel sculpture,
Sail, invites interaction and
re flects a playfulness be -
cause it is wind activated.