Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Flying Saucer Grove



I was digging through some Google images and came across the photo above, so I followed it to a website that explained what it was. It's the landscaping art at the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The page says it was in 1998. Anyone know if the Flying Saucer Grove is still there? I'd love to see it in person. I think it's so cool! I wouldn't mind decorating my place like this - if'n I had the dough to put it together.

Description:
Renowned landscape artist Martha Schwartz, collaborating with architect Ellerbe Becket, designed this enormous 80,000-sq. ft. entry plaza to the arena. Inspired by the green and earth tones of the nearby Everglades, she created a design that enhances the entertainment theme of the arena, home of the Florida Panthers, along with concerts and extravaganza events.

The plaza design encompasses sixteen (16) light poles with canopy, each measuring 25 feet high; fourteen (14) seat planters made of fiberglass resin, 16 feet diameter, with colors mirrored the light canopies; stripped pattern paving throughout the plaza landscaping.


More Photos:







I'm curious to know if any of you readers have ever been there to see this. Leave a comment and let us know!


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5 comments:

  1. the piece indeed is still there, i actually took pictures today. you will be somewhat dissapointed with it, the pictures are better.

    hope that helps out!

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  2. Thank you for your comment, anonymous. I was so hoping someone would let us know if it's still there. I'm glad it is. I take it that it's not so impressive in person? Oh well. I'd love to see your pictures if you'd like to share them. You can email them to anomalyblog [{at}] gmail [{dot}] com and I'd be happy to post them here with these. :)

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  3. It's definitely still there. We live not far away, and go there often (just went to the big 4th of July celebration & fireworks there a week ago). Sawgrass Mills, possibly the biggest outlet mall on the planet, is right across the street.

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  4. I forgot to add, there's another "flying saucer" installation nearby, when you come across the Julia Tuttle Causeway (Interstate 195/41st Street) into Miami Beach. There are neon rings in the trees that light up at dusk and stay on all night. See http://www.miamibeachfl.gov/tcd/aipp/scroll.aspx?id=28248 and click on the individual photos to enlarge them. There are more of them than the center photo shows... I think they are being blocked in that frontal shot by other trees, but you can see them all as you drive past them.

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