Union and F airview A venue, a major thor-
oughfare. It is at the heart o f an institution
itself at the heart o f a major city, and
Vessel
is
very much alive. Honeysuckle vines planted
alongside trident maples in the circular
concrete retaining wall at
Vessel’s
base will
eventually climb a third o f the w ay up, en-
closing the structure w ithin a fragrant,
leafy environment. Carpenter had imagined
recreating an enclave in a forest, rem inis-
cent o f those he experienced when living in
O regon’s Coast Range M ountains on the
W ilson River.
T h e site is both transitional and central-
ized. W ith the inclusion o f
Vessel,
it also
serves as a retreat. T w o triangular portals
aligned w ith adjoining buildings lead to
the interior, where benches allow visitors
and employees to tranquilly take in a 360-
degree view o f their surroundings.
W ith its m yriad bands o f colored glass
married to steel,
Vessel
appears sim ultane-
ously delicate and strong. A n d w hile fluid-
ity w as a k ey com ponent in the creation
o f
Vessel,
it nevertheless came as a surprise
w hen mere months after it w as installed,
a severe w indstorm started to topple
it. Stainless steel parts used as structural
joints had been erroneously rated for loads
greater than they could bear, and
Vessel
began to fall to pieces. Carpenter replaced
stainless steel bands w ith w elded and
screw ed connections. T h e center, he
claim s, stood by him during the entire
reconstruction. A n d
Vessel,
he adds, is
now stronger and better than before. “ It’s
every artist’s w orst nightm are,” says
Brunner, “ B ut the people w ho w ork at
H utchinson C enter, the m ajority o f whom
are researchers, have an extrem ely strong
m ission o f problem solving and m aking
progress as a team . T h e y deal w ith the un-
know n all the tim e.”
Vessel’s
creation, destruction and sub-
sequent resurrection is an apt metaphor for
many types o f recovery, including those
related to the research undertaken by scien-
tists at the center. Carpenter w anted his
w ork to em body the optimism that he saw
in the sta ff and in the aspirations o f the
center. H is w ork conveys an unsurpassed
dedication and passion for setting things
right, be they corporeal or structural.
Scott Rusch, vice president o f facilities
and operations for the center, has observed
Vessel
on site for tw o consecutive seasons:
summer and fall. “ W e’re still learning how
it w orks on our cam pus,” he says. A s the
days grow shorter, those leaving at dusk will
see
Vessel
illum inated-a beacon in the night.
H oneysuckle, a deciduous shrub, is barren
o f leaves in w inter, but as spring approaches
it w ill burst into bloom , a rem inder o f the
cyclical nature o f life. +
G im m e M ore!
edcarpenter.net
fh crc.org
Opposite:
Vessel
at
dusk. Above: Sketch
for the commission and
details oflatticework
of steel and strips of di-
chroic and beveled
glass.
Vessel’s
circular
opening provides
a framed view of the
sky. Viewers will catch
sight of iridescent re-
flections that stretch or
shrink depending on
the season, weather and
time of day.
feb/mar09 american craft 03;
