Proyectos del Tercer Milenio, El Escambrón, San Juan – 1999
Proyecto No Construido
Concepto de Andrés Salas
The Concept
The cone is a primitive cultural form, pure and simple, used by the first early settlers and yet, the shape of the future, space missiles, abstract and aerodynamic. The proportion is 1:2, almost 200 feet in diameter and 400 feet in height, floating 30 feet above ground and amongst a forest of almendros. The cone is supported by three double tiers which connect to the two major access from east and west, with the north tier, a window to the sea. The cone floats among a canopy of trees, essential shade for the park, and in itself a wonderland, especially in autumn when all the leaves turn yellow-orange-red. Three vertical slits, which shed natural light to the interior, represent the 3 millennium: east the past, west the present, and north the future, with a great balcony over looking the great oceanic horizon.
The cone with its stainless steel interior surface reflect the lights of the glass, while the outside skin is dull finish to avoid glare to the viewers. The exterior skin with its vertical and sweeping curved lines evoke poetic images and ignite the imagination. The cone aerodynamic form in effect protects the mobile from the weather and in particular, hurricanes.
Inside the immense cone is the sculpture for the Monument to the 3 Millennium, a 350 feet kaleidoscopic mobile with one thousand pieces of colored glass, where each represents one year, one thousand years. The image of this shimmering glass sculpture reflected in the mirror walls, with its gentle movement and play of light will seem twice as tall by the narrowing perspective of the conical slopes will be an image never forgotten.
The great cone with its simple, traditional, yet futuristic shape, contrasting its silver color with deep blue sea will produce and unforgettable image from the air, land and sea. The cone is a universal form easily remembered and recognized. It evokes the indian bohios and even the piraguas. The six massive concrete piers evoke the Spanish fortifications, the interior convex granite dish evokes the traditional plaza and even the batey. The external shape will be easily recognized internationally as much as the Eiffel Tower, or the San Louis Arch and even the baroque Sidney Opera. But only when you enter its inner space, only then will you be surprised by experiencing the tropics, cascading showers of color and light and reflected shadows and colors in the walls. Only visiting Puerto Rico will you experience the marvelous tropics of our Island, The Monument to the Third Millennium.
The Components of the Monument
The Cone – is approximately 200 feet in width and 400 feet in height (58.3 m x 121.9 m), and the skin is in stainless steel with a semi-reflective surface inside and dull appearance outside to avoid glare. The top of the cone is in thick glass to protect from rain, yet allows natural sun light. The outside skin will feature vertical lines and sweeping curved horizontal lines to provide controlled joints and interest and spark the imagination. Three vertical slits recognizing the two main accesses and the north, break the skin surface and add interest during the day and at night besides providing for natural light and ventilation.
The Structure – three rough concrete double piers hold 30 feet above ground the perimeter concrete beam which will support the cone. These double circular beams approximately 10 feet by 20 feet in height carry the weigh of the cone and serve as a tension ring. The frame of the cone is in stainless steel columns with stainless steel nervature.
The Sculptural Mobile – will be of one thousand pieces of colored glass in a variety of shapes and sizes supported by rods and cables from the ground. The glass will be 10 feet from the top and 30 feet above ground, and small horizontal slits at 20 feet intervals at the outside fenestration will provide minimal air circulation to gently move the smaller glasses and provide wonderful reflections on the reflective walls and also allow hot air to escape.
The Convex Plaza – in the interior of the dome will be a sunken dish amphitheater sloping down 12 feet, 3 feet above sea level to provide gravity drainage. This plaza evoking the indian Batey will be covered in one meter granite slabs with 30 foot diameter sidewalk ring sloping outward to shed the rain. The interior slope will be successive rings one meter square horizontally and two meter square sloping to provide gentle steps for people to lay down and gaze the magnificent glass sculpture or sit and enjoy a theater performance at the central stage arena or simply stand in the middle and gaze at the one thousand years mobile.
Lighting – the cone will be lighted from the outside and from on the inside where the lights will be attached to the perimeter beam. On occasions colored lights can be used on the outside to create a different mood and celebrate special events. The perimeter granite bench will be lighted around its base to create a ribbon of lights which contain the park. Finally the almedro trees will be individually lighted to create a wonderland forest.
Landscaping – the site will be completely covered with approximately 200 almedro trees, providing essential shade, and endless succession of tree trunks which filter the approach to the dome and create a green canopy carpet for the cone to rest. These trees continuously shed their leaves creating a thick mat cover, a beautiful brown-red carpet, substituting for the grass lawn and hence maintenance free. In autumn, this brown-red carpet will create a spectacle of its own changing the appreciation of the Monument.
184. Almendro Terrminalia catappa L. This familiar tree commonly planted for shade, ornament and nuts…growing rapidly…attractive for its peculiar branching and reddish tinged old leaves. The trees are extensively planted along sandy seashores…medium sized, to 50 feet in height and one foot trunks. (Common Trees of Puerto Rico…Little and Wadsworth.)
The Wall – a continuous low wall, .5 meters in heights and one meter in width, covered with granite slabs is in effect a continuous bench. Access will be provided from the east and the west and a slit toward the historic fort ruins. Concrete sidewalk covered with broken granite fragments in an informal irregular pattern (like the traditional piso chino) will lead to the cone from the three access points.
