Background and History

A project by Dan Kiley only completed in 1988 is at risk in Tampa, Florida. A combination of lack of maintenance and a new proposed project by an adjacent neighbor is threatening a classic Kiley – “architectural–landscape fusion” work.

Dan Kiley (b. 1912) is the only living landscape architect to have a landscape design bestowed with National Historic Landmark status. In fact, there are over 1,000 modern works of architecture listed on the National Register of Historic Places -- yet only one registered work of landscape architecture. Kiley’s work for the Miller family in Columbus, Indiana, (designed during the same period as Potomac Place) is a rare, surviving, pristine example of his design intent and sets a precedent for the registration of other such works. Since closing his office and retiring this past summer, Kiley’s “distinguishable” career can now be evaluated in the context of his career canon, design philosophy and surviving legacy.

It is within this context that the Tampa project should be considered. When doing so it may be noted that many other designs by Kiley from the same era, have been allowed to fade, either by inappropriate management decisions (e.g. Dulles Airport, Chantilly, VA); natural disasters (Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN); or outright demolition (the Burr McManus Memorial Park in Hartford). Kiley’s contributions at Tampa is not only a rare extant example of his work, but is one of his most important commissions that although it has suffered from deferred maintenance still survives with a high degree of integrity.

The history of this collaboration with architect, Harry Wolf involves Number Mysticism and the Golden Proportion. The Golden Proportion, including a logarithmic pattern know as the “Fibonacci” series, led to the conceptual proportioning in the design process. After analyzing the project site, it was observed that the footprint of the site, located next to the Hillsborough River, approximated to the diagonal of a 2 to 5 rectangle, in relation to the Tampa grid plan. This existing ratio correlated with two numbers in the Fibonacci series, which begins: 1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8 13, ….

The project’s program consists of a thirty-three story cylindrical office tower, two six-story cubic bank pavilions and a 4.5 acre plaza over a two-level parking garage. A tower ratio of 2 to 5 (diameters to height) was established by using 13-foot, floor-to-floor, increments. Multiples of 13 feet were used to establish the radius of the tower (78 feet) and the height and sides of the cubic pavilions (also 78 feet each). The tartan grid pattern of the plaza echoes the tower and pavilion elevation patterns. The garden is divided into parallel rectangular grass areas each 78 feet wide and of varying lengths, with 13-foot pathways between them. Sabal Palmettos line the pathways and six-hundred Crape-Myrtles are informally arranged within the areas to contrast the rational geometry.

The plaza is 8 feet above street level over the parking garage structure. Pedestrians enter the plaza through any of the five palm alleé entrances. The original project had a 400-foot long glass bottom canal which provided dappled light into lower level garage. Alas, maintaining such a structure, ultimately, lead to its’ demise and has since been removed and replaced with an uncreative, gigantically scaled, stepped white concrete “bleacher” steps. Furthermore, this former canal established a strong datum of building and garden. It was also a source for nine five-inch pre-cast water runnels which ended in kinetically arranged pools with fountains interspersed among groves and green spaces. Another major alteration of the original design was the elimination of three large 78-feet by 39-feet reflecting pools punctuated by three picturesque Weeping Podocarpus along the street edge. One local story was that seagulls liked to bathe in these pools of 2-inch depth creating a “nuisance.”

 

Threat to Kiley’s Masterwork

There have been two major alternations on the plaza infrastructure to date: Removal of the canal and reflecting pools. There is currently a more extreme threat to eradicate the plaza altogether. This observation is only from recent design proposals by architect, Rafael Viñoly for the adjacent Tampa Museum of Art, which at first glance will colonize the plaza and a typical Viñoly “oversized” trellis will jeopardize the original “Wolf” pristine cube pavilions on Ashley Street.

The fact that the City of Tampa is responsible for the maintenance of this plaza has been the biggest past mistake of this project. It has never looked as good as it did right after it was finished. Upon a visit many years after its completion, I felt uneasy with the many homeless who populated the park in broad daylight. At the time of this writing, I visited the plaza (April 2003) and was absolutely shocked. “Zero” maintenance seems to be the city’s prescription for this plaza. This plaza is now on its deathbed with the Crape-Myrtle canopies creating a dense opaque cover. Although important design components have been compromised with a renovation of thinning, tree removal, fountain repair and some serious paver clean-up it could be brought back to its former glory. Currently, there is no natural light penetrating the Crape-Myrtle canopy. The lawn is not receiving sunlight and is suffering. Most of the fountains are not running. Vandalism has taken hold on the trash containers and there are many areas where the pre-cast grid is tilted, thereby creating unsightly and unsafe conditions. This space is not pleasant - it is very dark. The plaza now resembles a modern ruin, almost “cemetery” like. Astonishingly, the project is only 15 years old.

The original land deal was for the Bank (client) to build on the corner site (formerly a public park) and “swap” the land use and put the park back on top of a parking garage off the corner. The City of Tampa would then maintain this park. This big mistake of giving the city the maintenance responsibility was a critical oversight by the Bank, in this writer’s opinion, and has today placed this park in jeopardy. The architect cannot be blamed for the new proposal since architects will never give up a major commission when given the opportunity.

The lack of concern and respect by the museum and the city for this Kiley Project is the issue. The local and professional public needs to be aware of this threat. This integration with building and landscape is unprecedented in the last 25 years of built work. This project has won the prestigious National AIA Honor Award.

A compiled list of quotes is included here to emphasize the great importance of this project as an integrated building and garden. This “synthesis” gives this project its historical significance. The following excerpts are from architect, Harry Wolf’s file describing Kiley’s contribution:

“…Standing in the midst of this tropical garden, designed with eminent Landscape Architect, Dan Kiley, and looking out to the river, one is struck by the magic of a place that is at once both modern and archaic….”

“The beautiful garden designed by Dan Kiley…there is true synthesis here between architecture and landscape architecture which produces something at once strong and very humane in its scale.”

New York AIA Distinguished Architecture Jury

Dear Harry,
Two weeks ago, I drove over to Tampa and saw the bank building and park. It’s the best project both architecturally and landscape architecturally I have seen in many years. The relationship of the entry plaza, the main banking room (fabulous) and the landscape spaces between the lower and the old museum are marvelous, seamless and truly beautiful. A great job!

Warmest Personal Regards,
Peter Walker, Peter Walker and Partners
Landscape Architecture

P.S. I love the light in the water hall. Shades of Kahn.

What You Can Do

It is ironic to think that the primary purpose of the Tampa Museum of Art as noted on their website is to “collect, preserve, display and interpret works of art reflecting art forms of regional, national and international importance for the public on a regularly scheduled basis.” Right under their nose, is an important masterwork by the most celebrated landscape architect in post-war America that fits their collections management purpose, and yet its very future is threatened with demolition.

Please send a letter to the Director of the Museum and the Mayor of Tampa expressing your support for the Kiley design. These individuals can be reached at:

Pam Iorio, Mayor, City of Tampa
306 East Jackson Street
Tampa, Florida 33602
(813) 274-8251

Emily Kass, Director Tampa Museum of Art
601 North Ashley Drive
Tampa, FL 33602

This article was prepared by Peter Lindsay Schaudt, FAAR, ASLA, a landscape architect with a private practice in Chicago, IL. From 1984-1987, Peter worked with Dan Kiley on this commission. For more information on other Kiley landscapes at risk visit Landslide.