Frieze and Sconce
Carl Taçon + Lyn Carter
2016
Carl Tacon and Lyn Carter’s masterpiece speaks to the carved and cast images found in the decorative details of the adjoining Graphic Arts building and surrounding buildings. The meticulously carved ribbon effortlessly floats around the perimeter of the site with the ribbon clusters relaxing as it flows along its 277-foot path, mimicking hand written script. Through its twists and turns, the fluid and playful quality of the ribbon’s path offers a contemporary take on the traditional garland detailing often found in Beaux Arts style architecture.
The ribbon element, backed by a horizontal stripe, carved in Indiana Limestone, is inspired by the carved background stripes found in the decorative details of the neighboring Bell Telephone Building. The light sconces of the building are folded ribbon cast in bronze, illuminating both upward and downward with light patterns that are dramatically shaped by the forms of the sconce.