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GREENVILLE, Texas, Jan. 20, 1999 - The World's Largest
Architectural Fiberglass Sculpture crowns the new Atlantis Hotel and Resort
on Paradise Island, Bahamas. Lyndon Stromberg and a 150 person team of
artists and laborers spent over a year creating the monumental sculpture
and the other artwork for the Atlantis Resort. Rising 140 feet above the
ocean below it, the sculpture is visible from 35 miles away. To give an
idea of the size of a 140' sculpture, the faces on Mount Rushmore are only
60' tall.
"Normally a sculpture is only viewed by a few people at a time," says Stromberg. "It is a thrill to create something that will be seen by millions." The sculpture crowns the Great Hall of Waters, the lobby of the new 800 million dollar Atlantis Resort. At the base of the sculpture are enormous "stone" blocks and stone buttresses, above them a gold band and "abalone shell" dome. Soaring above the dome are massive bronze "waves." Leaping from the top of the "waves" are two 25' tall marlins, their tails barely touching the wave. "We are working everywhere from 140 feet in the air, to under water in the lagoon," says Stromberg. "It was wild. We were even dangling from ropes over the tanks filled with sharks to put some of the finishing touches in place." The architectural drawings for the Great Hall of Waters were by WATG Architects. From these, Stromberg and his team created detailed drawings and a scaled model or "maquette" of the work. "We always start with a maquette," says Stromberg. "It allows us to get the exact look we want on a small scale. It is easier to make changes on a 4' maquette than a 140' sculpture." Once the maquette is approved the full scale model is made. The sculpting was done in plaster, foam and clay. Once a full scale model was made, molds were made of the models and the pieces cast. The bronze clad fiberglass is a process that Stromberg invented. "It allows us to get the look of aged bronze without the enormous weight of cast bronze," says Stromberg. After casting in Texas, the pieces were shipped to Paradise Island to be erected. In addition to the Great Hall of Waters sculpture, Stromberg provided numerous other sculptures for the casino: a 20' triton shell, 18' seahorses, nautilus shells, giant doors, hundreds of columns and miles of carved trim. Some of the other artwork created for the project includes:
Stromberg is the leading architectural fiberglass firm in the world. With over 200 employees and projects around the world they are the industry leader in themed fiberglass. "We can build anything that you can dream up," says Stromberg. For example:
"This project, its architecture, and art is unlike anything ever seen before," says Stromberg. "Here people will be able to experience the Atlantean world, its art, its technology and its feel. This is ancient Atlantis raised from the depths." Sol Kerzner, C.E.O. of Sun International and creator of the Atlantis Hotel and Casino was involved with every detail. "He has a great eye for art and demanded quality in everything," says Stromberg. "This is all his vision, his imagination." Lyndon Stromberg's other clients and commissions have included: The White House, Washington, D.C., Harvard University, Yale University, West Point, Disney, M.G.M., Caesar's Palace, The Capitol Building, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, the Sultan of Brunei, and museums and private collections around the world. Last year Stromberg set another world's record when he crafted the world's largest Roman columns for Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. |
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Also See: | The Opening of the Royal Towers at Atlantis, Paradise Island Redefines the Vacation Experience / Dec 1998 |