05/05/2021
On April 23rd, 2021, the unveiling of the brand-new $4.5 million public art sculpture “The Epicenter” outside Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado was held. “We anticipate that ‘The Epicenter’ will be among the most coveted locations for visitors and locals alike to gather in our city and that it will be one of the most photographed backdrops for a venue of this size throughout the U.S.,” said Switchbacks President Nick Ragain.
Springs Fabrication was contracted by the partnership of Switchbacks Football Club and Weidner Apartment Homes to design, manufacture, er****on, and commission the sculpture to anchor the entrance on the Northeast corner of Weidner Field, the home stadium for the Switchbacks FC.
The sculpture, a massive structure weighing more than 164,000 pounds at 35-ft. tall and with a diameter of 65-ft, is made of highly polished stainless steel and required over 20,000-man hours to complete. Springs Fabrication worked with partners Perkins & Will and Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers to accomplish the incredible engineering feat that is the Epicenter.
The Epicenter sculpture features two interlocking rings supported by slim columns and a sphere. The 65-ft stainless steel brushed and polished rings have a “dragon-scale” finish and are comprised of more than 7,000 components including a remote-controlled digital LED lighting system circumscribing the rings edges. The design was envisioned as a nod to the neighborhood’s unique and rich history while looking to celebrate the unlimited potential of the city’s future. The rings were designed to be both modern and reflective. Modern, to represent soccer as the largest and fastest-growing sport in the world. Reflective, to honor the neighborhood’s rich heritage and the site’s unique role in the resurgence of southwest Downtown Colorado Springs. The 19-ft stainless steel sphere was polished to a mirror finish and serves as the main anchor for the rings. The sphere emphasizes Colorado Springs’ important role in the global world of sport as Olympic City USA.
“We are extremely proud and humbled to have been trusted by the Partnership to design and build such an iconic piece of functional art,” said Springs Fabrication President Tom Neppl. “For more than 12 months, our team logged more than 20,000 work hours from concept through er****on. It was a mettle-testing honor to showcase all of our talent on this extremely challenging design,” said Neppl. “As a result, the entire Colorado Springs community, along with visitors from around the world, will have the opportunity to enjoy this architectural and engineering wonder day or night, 365 days a year, for generations to come.”
This is the second art sculpture that Springs Fabrication has had the privilege of providing as part of the Colorado Springs downtown revitalization project. This first sculpture produced is a striking 50-ft. tall continuum sculpture that is 45-ft. in diameter and is made of 24 tons of stainless steel and carbon steel. The fountain was dedicated on June 7, 2007, to Julie Penrose a local philanthropist and is located near the downtown area of Colorado Springs in the heart of America the Beautiful Park.
