LOCATION : UNDERLINE MIAMI, FL
SCALE: SCULPTURE 20X20
STATUS: COMPETITION SUBMISSION
“Dade in Deco” – A Memorial Bench for Bernard Wolfson at the Underline
Theme - The inspiration for this sculpture emerged during a site visit. I envisioned an exaggerated Metro and Underline capable of transporting people from Miami Beach to the Everglades. Imagining a bird's-eye view, the adjacent bioretention ponds and planting beds proposed for the site transformed into representations of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf. From above the grass, the city on the ridge, and the beach— are the defining features of Miami-Dade—these became the focus of the piece. “Dade in Deco” is a sculptural bench that playfully represents these major geological features.
Objective - The goal was to design a comfortable and expressive memorial bench that integrates into the public space, adding another engaging experience along the Underline. The bench’s shape and arrangement subtly invites children to climb and explore, while different sections offer seating with varied views and levels of privacy.
Style - The Art Deco vernacular is a collage of expressive mass, color, and lines. A stroll through the Bernard Wolfson Hampton Suites exemplifies this aesthetic. When analyzed graphically, his curation of hosts bold colors, sweeping forms, and abstract representations of nature. I began the design by collaging various Art Deco objects, buildings, furniture, and paintings, ultimately achieving an asymmetrical visual balance that informed the geometric composition of the sculpture.
Materials & Techniques Staying true to the Art Deco theme, the bench uses traditional materials associated with the style: stone, concrete, and metal. Each symbolic section is painted in pastel colors typical of Art Deco,green for Grass, Pink for the City, blue for Beach, and the oolite stone for the ridge remains exposed , reflecting its common use in Art Deco buildings here and abroad. The materials are familiar and the construction methods are standard in Miami. The design presented will serve as a guide for fabricating the major elements, beginning with a detailed 3D model to extract precise dimensions and locations. The oolite stone plinths will be cut to size at the quarry and delivered to the site. The concrete components will be formed with plywood molds, and the metal sections will be fabricated, powder-coated, and installed in coordination with metal integrated into the stone and concrete benches
Interest - As a graduate of the University of Miami's School of Architecture, this project represents a full-circle moment for me—an opportunity to contribute creatively to the urban fabric of Miami-Dade County, just steps away from where I studied. I imagine professors and students arranging visits to this bench, and I take pride in envisioning its integration into Miami Dade’s public life. Living near the Metro Line at Earlington Heights, the idea of hopping on a train and stopping by during my library trips to the University, already feels like a dream come true. This intersection of functional design, public space, and art is precisely the realm I am passionately exploring.
