I was one of three architects invited to participant during the one-week conceptual design charette for Centennial Olympic Park.  I prepared a master plan concept scheme incorporating patterns from the Olympic Quilt theme. 

 

Later the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) requested proposals for an icon tower as a feature for Centennial Olympic Park.  The proposed Olympic Icon Tower was to be at the highest point within the park. 

 

The design I proposed had a large central domed space open on eight sides, capped by vertically tapered fins rising to a height of 200 feet.  The floor of the central space was to have a terrazzo patterned map of the Olympic venues throughout the metropolitan area.  Electronic sensors designed to monitor the flow of visitors across the floor would activate concealed projectors that would project videos of the recent athletic events onto the ceiling of the domed structure, as well as other video monitors within the space.

 

The ceiling is the bottom of the roof structure, which was to a tubular steel structure with a series of layered perforated metal roof panels.  The pattern of the perforated roof panels was to be derived from pattern of the Olympic Quilt.  At night, the projected videos would flicker through the open perforations, giving bursts of light through the roof structure.  In the day, being under the perforated roof would be much like standing below a large oak tree that gave mottled shade, commonly found throughout the city.

 

Visitors would enter the lowest level of the central space of the tower from the northwest, which opened to the park beyond.  An upper level circled the central domed space as a promenade.  The below portions of the promenade were to be public restrooms, information stations and a security office.

 

Capping the dome, the vertical fin structure continued with an open filigree of metal work that contained suspended tubular bells.  The bells were to chime on the hour and to announce special Olympic events.

 

Proposals were also submitted to ACOG for two amenity buildings to be located at the northeast side of the park.  These buildings were to provide a sheltered open space for visitors to rest or to have picnics, as well as public restrooms.  The design incorporated double steel pipe columns on tapered concrete plinths and a metal-hipped roof with an open steel truss structure.  These two buildings were eventually built.

 

 

Project Architect & Architectural Designer for Turner Associates.