A Monument to the Tree
A Monument to the Tree is a conceptual design proposal for a public art gathering place project that celebrates and honors one of the most important life forms on earth, the tree. The monument was designed to promote awareness in the people who visit it of the great importance of trees to all of humanity, especially in this time of global climate change.
The basic design consists of a 175-foot diameter grass covered earth cone shaped mound that is 20 feet tall. At the top of the grass covered earth cone is another 72-foot diameter inverted cone made of a series of concentric stairs, formed from eco-friendly air purifying concrete.
At the base of the inverted concrete cone there is a large live oak tree planted at the center of a 20-foot diameter circular concrete pad with built-in rainwater drainage facilities. Four concrete staircases are built into the outer perimeter of the grass covered earth cone to provide access to the top where there is a circular walkway around the perimeter of the inverted staircase cone.
Visitors are encouraged to climb the outer staircases to the top of the earth cone where they can view the oak tree from the top down. If they decide to, they can also climb down the inverted concrete stair formed cone to the bottom circular pad.
The inverted concrete cone was designed as a kind of amphitheater in which visitors can sit and contemplate the importance and beautiful of the tree.
Status: Unbuilt
