Pier 865
PIER 865
Marc Fornes / Theverymany
ARCHITECTS
Marc Fornes / Theverymany
AUTHOR
Marc Fornes / Theverymany
COMMISSIONER
City Of Knoxville
PHOTOGRAPHS
Steve Kroodsma, Keith Isaacs
LOCATION
Knoxville, United States
CATEGORY
Installations & Structures, Cultural Architecture, Public Architecture
English description provided by the architects.
The view from a pier is normally that of water, but at the site of Marc Fornes' new sculpture Pier 865, visitors enjoy a panoramic vantage point over the tree canopy of a historical Knoxville park.
Like its namesake structure, the sculpture commissioned by the City of Knoxville joins two worlds, bridging the Old Town neighborhood and theater district, inviting passers-by to walk out to the pier's end and engage in a moment of reflection and observation.
Pier 865 also invites larger groups of people to linger: one of the cantilevered wings creates a shaded stage for small gatherings and public performances.
In this work, THEVERYMANY, the studio chaired by Fornes, shows off its signature flair in fabrication, expanding a simple premise into a fantastical construction.
Palm-sized strips of painted aluminum are assembled together as facets of the whole, building a world that draws the viewer in through an immersive, yet completely analogue experience.
Each aluminum strip is pre-folded and painted in a gradient of seven subtle tones—soft greens, deep-sea blues, and hints of butter yellow—mirroring the park's foliage and sky while asserting a vibrant presence.
Its organic shape brings to mind different life forms from different angles: from ground level, the sculpture suggests alien flora growing from the concrete—but viewed from the sky, a tensile, reptilian form reveals itself.
The dialogue between the solid pier and the airy canopy creates a choreography of form, color, and space that rewards both casual visitors and those who linger to explore its every angle.
The artwork unfolds as a duet between weight and lightness. Its cast-in-place concrete pier extends the level of the city center into the green space of the park, forming an organic landscape of benches, steps, and resting ledges.
Above, the lightweight aluminum canopy rests on five slender legs, its three cantilevered wings offering unique experiences: a forward loop that sparks curiosity and play;
an elevated wing forming a shaded stage for performances and gatherings; and a low, retreating wing that invites quiet moments among the trees, with views stretching toward the distant mountains.
While the sculpture is the park's newest and most ambitious artistic centerpiece, it continues a long-standing local tradition.
Established in 1986 to celebrate Knoxville's country music heritage, the park has long served as a cultural touchstone within the city.
With Pier 865, Fornes contributes to this legacy of public art in the Cradle of Country Music, introducing a distinctly functional and contemporary dimension.
