Williams Square, Irving, TX ~ Photos by Dixi CarilloDesigned 1981The plaza is reminiscent of the Wes

Williams Square, Irving, TX ~ Photos by Dixi CarilloDesigned 1981The plaza is reminiscent of the West Texas plains. The nine bronze mustangs (one-and-a-half life size) were sculpted by African wildlife artist Robert Glen, whom Carpenter had met on safari in Johannesburg, South Africa years earlier. The landscape architect’s abstract design sculpts the granite plaza to recall geologic layers found in the prairie. Selected grains were layered into certain positions. The watercourse flows diagonally across the plaza and over the granite, so that it appears to have eroded the stone over eons of geologic time and the continuous passing of the horses. The banks are very smooth, and the bottom is of moonstone, a black rock that causes reflections in the water, especially at night. The granite also takes on a different color when wet. Rough brown cobbles contrast with smooth granite within the stream. The success of the space lies in the approach to scale. From a distance, against the backdrop of the 14- and 26-story buildings, the mustangs appear to scale, relatively small. But as one gets closer, they become larger and larger until they are, in effect, larger than life. The landscape architects accomplished this by designing and resolving detail in the field in close collaboration with the sculptor, rather than working “on the boards”. This approach led to some key decisions, such as using ambient building lighting for a more subtle night-time illumination of the plaza, keeping trees at a distance, and designing custom spray nozzles in the shape of a horse’s hoof. When Carpenter was asked about the need for shade in a hot climate, he retorted, “Shade- There’s no trees in west Texas!” Wide open spaces and blazing sun is part of the essential nature of the plains. Nevertheless, there are places along the plaza’s stream where people sit and enjoy the setting, and other places near the mustangs where the detailed sculptures may be viewed up close. Over the years the bronze horses and the plaza have remained unchanged, they have been loved by the community and the millions of visitors, the patina worn bare, and they have educated many about this fascinating animal and the unique state in which they once roamed. -- source link

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