STACK

Located in downtown Sarasota, STACK explores public participation as a form of architectural and artistic expression. Conceived as an interactive public installation, the project transforms a single urban parking space into a temporary hub for creativity, connection, and engagement. Rather than presenting a finished object, STACK provides a framework that invites visitors to shape the experience.

The installation draws on the ancient practice of stone stacking, from historic cairns to contemporary sculptural expressions. The simple act of balancing one stone on another becomes an exploration of patience, balance, and human interaction with natural materials. Each participant contributes to an evolving composition, becoming both creator and observer of a collective artwork.

Positioned along 1st Street between Sarasota’s cultural institutions, public transportation, and commercial destinations, STACK sits at a highly visible intersection of the city’s urban infrastructure and its natural environment. The design responds to this setting with organic materials and modular construction, creating a flexible intervention that can be assembled, occupied, and experienced in multiple ways.

Sand forms a tactile foundation for the installation, offering a surface for interaction and experimentation. Recycled southern yellow pine is organized into modular elements that serve as seating, display surfaces, and spatial boundaries. Stacked wood creates a semi-transparent enclosure that separates the installation from adjacent traffic while maintaining openness and visual connection to the street.

Gabion structures extend the concept of stacking into permanent architectural elements, transforming stone into walls and spatial markers. Vegetation, including horsetail grass and existing oak trees, softens the installation's edges and reinforces its relationship with the surrounding landscape.

STACK shows how architecture can create a place without prescribing exactly how it should be used. Through the simple act of balancing stones, a single parking space becomes a setting for creativity, mindfulness, interaction, and shared discovery—an evolving public space shaped as much by its participants as by its design.

Location:
Downtown | Sarasota, Florida

Type:
Public Installation | Temporary Architecture

Awards:
2014 | AIA Florida/Caribbean Parking Day Competition, 1st Place