The Wall of Death facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Wall of Death |
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| Artist |
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| Completion date | c. 1993 |
| Type | Sculpture |
| Medium | Concrete, steel and aluminum |
| Subject | Vehicles as recreation |
| Dimensions | 490 cm × 2,000 cm × 910 cm (16 ft × 65 ft × 30 ft); 3,658 m2 |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| 47°39′19″N 122°19′07″W / 47.6552°N 122.3185°W | |
| Owner | Seattle Department of Transportation |
The Wall of Death is a cool public art piece in Seattle, Washington. You can find it under the University Bridge. It sits right next to the Burke-Gilman Trail and NE 40th Street in the University District.
This unique artwork was created in 1993. It was designed and built by a father and son team, Mowry Baden and Colin Baden.
What is The Wall of Death?
This art piece looks like a structure used for a daring stunt called the "wall of death." In this stunt, people ride motorcycles or small cars around the inside of a tall, round cylinder. They go so fast that they can ride almost sideways!
The artwork has two main parts. On one side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, there is a large concrete cylinder. This part looks like the actual "wall of death" where the stunts happen.
On the other side of the trail, there is a concrete ramp. This ramp has special metal chairs attached to the bridge columns. These chairs are like the stands where people would sit to watch the exciting stunts.
Art and Skateboarding
When the artwork was first built, the concrete ramp was a popular spot for skateboarders. They enjoyed riding and doing tricks on it. However, this caused some problems.
In 2008, there were several complaints about skateboarders using the art. One time, a skateboarder and a cyclist even crashed into each other. Because of safety concerns, the Seattle Department of Transportation decided to act.
They put a barrier of rocks on the ramp. This was to stop skateboarders from using the art piece. Mowry Baden, the artist, had hoped skateboarders would use his work. But he agreed that public safety was more important.
In December 2008, Mowry Baden met with the city. They talked about changing the artwork to make it safer. After this meeting, 25 concrete parking stops were added to the sculpture. These additions made it impossible for skateboards to ride on the ramp.
Images for kids
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The Wall of Death artwork in Seattle.
