WPA has teamed with Yard + Company and the City of Norfolk to host the Railroad District in Park Place charrette. The focus of events is to gather input from members of the community. This feature from WTKR talks about the area and the charrette process.
Click here to learn more about the Ohio Creek Watershed Project and our work with Arcadis, Moffatt & Nichol, SCAPE, Waggonner & Ball, and WPL on the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) funded Norfolk Ohio Creek Watershed Project.
The community tradition of Fuse Fest is back in the Church Street Area of Norfolk. Click here to learn more about the event and how you can get involved. Call 757-747-2679 for more information.
DoorDash is partnering with the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) to bring a $450,000 grant program for Virginia restaurants as they continue to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
The Elizabeth River Project is taking up position on the frontlines of the international quest to combat impacts of sea level rise on urban waterfront communities. WPA is proud to be designing the first facility on the East Coast intentionally to be constructed as a resilience model in the urban flood plain.
The MEGA CAKE’s journey to Burning Man is getting close to it’s fiery conclusion! Fresh off its successful test build at the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, the 50′ tall sculpture has just been listed in Forbes Magazine as on of the “Best of the Best” to watch for in 2019.
From the article: MEGA CAKE is a large scale interactive sculpture of a 4-tier birthday cake that will serve as both a singular piece of art and a place to explore and discover art within. According to the artists, “We are a diverse group of misfits who came together due to a shared love of teamwork and crazy ideas. Each of us has a different combination of reasons for traveling to the Black Rock desert to spend a week laboring to bring a 50-foot wooden cake to life, only to watch it burn shortly thereafter.”
Architect Thom White of Norfolk’s WPA has designed a 12-sided wooden structure resembling a 4-tiered birthday cake. Art glass embellishments representing the animals of the Chinese zodiac and the constellations of the western zodiac will catch the light of the sun and sparkle like sugar in the distance. Plywood panels line each faceted tier and have perforations which recall cake icing embellishments while letting wind pass through. Flexible LED light strips are draped along the top of each level, adding to the icing motif. A propane-fueled “poofer” on the top-most tier will provide flame effects that will fire off at least once per hour at night.
“Our mission has evolved since work began over a year ago. At first, the Cake was thought of primarily as a place to gather, play, and observe Burning Man’s Black Rock City. Then, as the work progressed and construction began, we realized the piece is a singular work of art with vast potential for embedded meaning. MEGA CAKE facilitates a journey through the distinct moments that people encounter along the arc of one’s lifetime.”
The planning process will continue with a series of Listening Sessions, which will ensure that the voices of key stakeholders, community members and supporters are heard as we plan for the Hermitage’s future. We would love for you to join us in a fast-paced discussion to identify the most vital aspects of the Museum & Gardens and to consider how they contribute to an aspirational vision for the near, middle, and long-term. Findings from the session will be incorporated into the “2030 Vision” document and a new Master Site Plan that will guide us for the next decade.
Join us on May 7th for the first community Listening Session
Two times are available; please come to the one that best suits your schedule:
9–10:30 am and 5:30–7:30 pm
There will be a tour of the grounds led by our Curator of Gardens and Grounds, Philip Riske, beginning 45 minutes before each session (8:15 am & 4:45 pm).
The agenda for the Listening Session will include a summary of the evolution of the Hermitage and an update on programming and current events. Staff from Work Program Architects will then lead the group in a discussion looking toward the future of the Museum and Grounds. Breakout groups will be formed to focus on key areas and site factors and to generate ideas for improvements, enhancements, and new opportunities – no idea will be too small or too large! The session will conclude with a discussion about next steps in the process and how you can remain involved.
If either session does not work with your schedule you can still contribute. We will have future sessions and you can always send a comment to info@thehermitagemuseum.org.
Hermitage Museum & Gardens | 7637 North Shore Rd. Norfolk, VA 23505