Designing the Unbuilt World of Imagination

Volume XIX, Issue V: The World of Unbuilt Imagination

Artists’ Statement: “Aspiration”
By Bob Kirchman

Our proposal, “Aspiration,” is a celebration of the history of flight – a history that began on a winter day on the coast of North Carolina. The sculpted aircraft tell the story of humankind’s journey into the air and beyond. It is a story that continues as our North Carolina industries now contribute to the exploration of space.

Looking up, you will see the Wright Flyer, the first flying machine, The Spirit of St. Louis, which blazed the path for transcontinental service, The Ford Tri-motor, The DC-3, The 707, A Mercury Capsule, The Apollo CSM, The SpaceX Crew Dragon, and The Artemis Spacecraft which will one day take us to new worlds.

Above the aircraft, the Milky Way Galaxy gives us a perspective point – inspiring humankind’s exploration of even the reaches of the universe. On the base ring, we envision a timeline of interpretive texts, telling the stories of the various aircraft.

Adults and children passing through the terminal will be reminded, or begin to learn, of the history of aeronautical achievement. Executives will remember that North Carolina businesses still play a vital part in the exploration of space and the continuing development of new technologies. It is our sincere desire that “Aspiration”, with its crisp clean metal lifting up each exciting image of flight, will serve to refresh the spirit of those embarking or returning from their journeys.

The Unbuilt World of Imagination

Many years ago, I approached Willy Ferguson, Staunton’s great metal sculpture artist, with an idea I had for a three dimensional clock to be installed on the parapet of a client’s building in Charlottesville. Sadly, we never got to go forward with the project. It would have been a great experience – working with Mr. Ferguson – and I regret that the project never happened. When you are an artist reinventing yourself, you read a lot of RFPs (Requests for Proposal) in the hope of finding some opportunity. I came upon an RFP for airport terminal art that made me wish Willy was still in his Middlebrook Avenue studio, ready for some adventure. Turns out the cost of metal has increased quite a bit and when I requested estimates on the curved supports for the aircraft models, I was advised to sit down. There was no way to build it within the budget specified in the RFP. Still, I thought the concept was a lot of fun. It is called ‘Apsiration,’ for it traces the aspiration of humankind to leave the ground and soar.

Someday my granddaughters will hopefully leaf through my collection of ‘unbuilt’ project ideas and be inspired. Until then, it is always fun to dream.

*** I wrote the above after several local metal fabrication shops told me “there was no way I could afford to build that.” Well, I thought I had given up – but then I made the acquaintance of Wilmington, NC Metalworker Logan Jankowski of L.J. Metalworks [click to visit]. He had posted photographs of a giant wave sculpture he was doing in progress and his website reviews included someone who had received a metal sculpture that was damaged in shipment and how Logan had lovingly restored the piece. We put together a proposal for “Aspiration” and submitted it. Once again, finding that person with special vision is key. Although in the end our design was not selected, the concepts developed have honed our skills for future projects.



Terrazzo Floor Designs
By Bob Kirchman of the Kirchman Studio




“Pine” evokes the region’s coastal forests.




“Shell” celebrates the region’s ties to the sea.

As a child, I was fascinated by terrazzo. In those days artists would often create floor graphics at the entry to stores with the business logo rendered in different colored terrazzo fills, carefully polished. They conveyed a sense of permanence. At the 1964/1965 World’s Fair, I saw terrazzo’s magnum opus – the map of New York in the ‘Tent of Tomorrow.’

In ‘Pine’ (area one) and ‘Shell,’ I look to Wilmington’s connection to the coastal forests and the sea. I believe with the new computer technologies facilitating terrazzo layout and metal cutting it will be possible to introduce a very natural set of elements into the terminal in a way that will bring comfort and delight into the travel experience. Hopefully a traveler will get a taste of the wonder to be found in exploring the region and natives coming and going will feel a connection to their region.

A New Look for an Ancient Art
Terrazzo's Renaissance


Terrazzo floors at Sky Harbor Sky Train Terminals in Phoenix, Arizona blend new technology with a timeless trade.


Terrazzo is a variation of mosaic floors with a long history.

The Prophet Jeremiah's Message for Our Time
In a World Full of Destruction, Be a Builder!

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” – Jeremiah 29:4-7