A work this ambitious will require a team of exceptional engineers to fully realize its vision. Prior to this proposal, I had extensive discussions with the professionals listed below to gain a full understanding of all the issues this installation will present.

Based on these conversations, here are our thoughts and preliminary solutions about how we will technically execute this stunning monument.

The ability to create such an ambitious piece is possible due to today's digital scanning and laser milling technology. I have used this technology with great success in previous sculptures and have found it to be invaluable. The figures in the pit will not be life-casts of people but will be sculpted from a more emotional and gestural translation, more like Rodin's figures than literal bodies.

I will first sculpt the pit at about 1/5 scale in clay (15 ft. diameter) and then have it digitally scanned and enlarged to life-size in dense foam. This will eliminate the time-consuming work of building up the sculpture to its workable surface so I can then concentrate immediately on the emotion and expression of each of the bodies themselves. Every figure in the pit will have a believable emotion in face and in gesture. They will be young, old, fat, thin, naked, clothed, alone, grasping onto others for help and comfort. Each person will tell his/her own story.

When completed, this 15ft diameter sculpture will then be digitally scanned and enlarged in foam for the final sculpting pass. Each 4ftX8ft enlarged foam piece will then be reassembled at the 75 ft. diameter size. Clay will be laid on top of the foam for the final detailed phase of sculpting. It will take 120 of these 4ftX8 ft sections to complete the sculpture at its final size.

To give you an idea of the size of the sculpture, to the left you will see a how a 4x8 section compares to the whole.

The above picture shows the milling of the 4 X 8 section that, with clay added to and resculpted, becomes the sculpture that you see to the left.

The bas-relief of the concrete bodies will be sculpted so that no fingers, arms, or feet will protrude. This will reduce the chance of accidental or intentional damage. The bodies will be of a high enough relief to feel real and volumetric, providing high-contrast shadows to move with the sun throughout the day. In this way the sculpture will be constantly in motion, providing a new experience with every viewing.