Philadelphia Public Art @philart.net
Artist: Masayuki Nagase
River of Life
Masayuki Nagase,
2014
* big and small
water,
rocks,
furniture,
birds,
fish,
insects,
plants,
turtle
* inscription:
plaque: Hand carved granite benches, sculptural boulders, and engraved tile pavers and medallions
depicting images of local flora, fauna, and water patterns. An original artwork commissioned by
The City of Philadelphia Percent for Art Program and The Philadelphia Water Department
rock: Venice Island is the legacy of 19th century urbanization.
In 1819 a three mile sliver of schist was sliced away from Manayunk by a narrow canal that supplied
the textile mills on the Island. Today, this site location led the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)
to install a subsurface Combined Sewer Overflow Tank. This tank holds nearly 1 million
gallons of a mixture of sewage and storm water during rain events,
preventing untreated wastewater from flowing into the Schuylkill River.
To enable the use of the island for this essential river protection
project, PWD committed to a full scale reconstruction of the Venice Island's
recreation facilities. PWD worked with its sister city agencies and the
neighborhood in the master planning process. This site uses the best in
sustainable storm water management, ecological design and
restoration to provide a much needed public place in the
heart of Manayunk that addresses multiple needs - recreation,
environmental protection, commerce and open space.
The revitalized space reflects the Island's industrial heritage,
local building techniques and the vibrant natural history
along the Schuylkill River, all the while meeting the
rigorous challenges of creating a safe city park in the
floodway. This park resides at the intersection of nature and city, striving to bring both closer.
* Multi-level plaza.
Venice Island.
Across the canal off Main and Cotton.
* 40.023810,-75.222675 [map] [nearby]
* On the Manayunk tour
* See also:
+veniceisland.org
