As the Tampa Housing Authority & the Related Urban Group continue development in Tampa, FL, West River Tampa unveiled its new “Boulevard Flow” sculpture, designed by International Artist, Ya La’ford and will serve as the centerpiece for Canopy at West River located in West Tampa’s new affordable housing community.

In partnership with the Tampa Housing Authority & the Related Urban Group, WGI’s structural experts had the exceptional opportunity to provide structural engineering services for the foundation of the “Boulevard Flow” sculpture.

“Boulevard Flow” is a skillfully crafted 10ft metal sculpture with International Artist, Ya La’ford, describing the inspiration behind the piece as:

“Boulevard Flow, this sculpture is truly about community, a large-scale sculpture composed of two geometric spaces. The formation of this unity represents the fruition of what it means to work towards a common goal. A place where housing, art, and community come together within a dynamic urban setting. And so early on I came down here, I took off my shoes and stood amongst these giant oak trees; I started to reflect upon the circle in which I positioned, I began to consider the idea of an enormous sphere, a sphere that would represent a sense of oneness, wholeness, completion, and overall a place for this community to celebrate our past, present, and future. And so this sculpture seeks to highlight the interconnectivity between community life within the West Tampa ecosystem. The geometric design represents the movement of the people, the southwestern flow of the Hillsborough River, and the wisdom of the oak tree canopies that are constantly watching and giving us sweet vibrations of love.”

Marcia Alvarado, WGI’s Tampa Structural Market Leader had the honor of attending the sculpture’s unveiling ceremony alongside local officials, residents, and invited guests to celebrate the installation of this inspirational artwork. Marcia was interviewed at the event stating:

“There are so many times when I am working in my office, and I have to step outside to take a breather, to take a moment away from whatever it is that I am working on; and without green space, without art, without places that we can sit and just reflect; (we are unable) to allow our brains to get reinspired & reactivated”

Although the unveiling of “Boulevard Flow” marks a momentous milestone for the Tampa Housing Authority’s development efforts, the Canopy at West River is just the beginning. In an effort to make affordable housing more widely available across Tampa, the Tampa Housing Authority is focused on the continued transformation of 120 acres along the western bank of the Hillsborough River, bridging downtown to West Tampa, with the purpose of creating a diverse community for people of all income levels.

Alesia Scott-Ford, Field Office Director of the Tampa Housing Community attended the sculpture’s unveiling and described the impact of these continued development efforts by stating:

“It is powerful to witness what this city has been able to achieve in the last few years. It is powerful to the fact that lives are going to be impacted and have been impacted to a degree that we can’t even measure when you think about the homes and the quality of living that people will experience and are experiencing in the Tampa Housing Authority development. What it specifically says is that a person’s ZIP Code should not determine the outcome and the quality of their life”

There is no question that the continued development of West Tampa and the “Boulevard Flow” sculpture will leave a lasting impact on the community. As WGI continues to creatively transform how the world is envisioned, designed, and experienced, we encourage anyone looking for inspiration for their next development project to watch the full recap of this momentous occasion in a video by Kerrick Williams HERE.

Let’s Make an Impact Together

As the inclusion of public artwork is an increasing focus amongst development projects as a result of its positive impact on the community and community residents, WGI’s team of experts relish the opportunity to continue to work on these inspirational initiatives.

Contact a WGI Structural expert today to discuss how we can help you make a lasting and inspirational impact on your community!