Virtuoso Statue Relocation

To accommodate a landscape renovation project, the owners of the Lyric Centre wanted to relocate the Virtuoso statue approximately 20 feet to the northwest front of the building. The statue was originally assembled on-site and from three different pieces, so it would be impossible to disassemble and rebuild it.

To begin this project, and to properly assess the best way to relocate this structure, the team at Walter P Moore established how much the statue weighed, how the statue was supported, and whether the move was feasible. Without documentation of the original installation, investigative research was required to move forward. 

The team determined that the best way to access the missing information was to go directly to the source—artist David Adickes’ studio. Adickes shared the original installation documents as well as construction photos. 

Using laser scanner data and nondestructive testing, the team was able to establish that the statue weighed 25 tons. Next, the team made exploratory openings with the use of a GPR scanner to evaluate the structure’s capacity to sustain this weight at its new location. Finally, the Walter P Moore team assisted in designing a rigging system that safely and efficiently lifted the statue in one piece.

This project is a significant example of Walter P Moore’s dedication to innovative problem-solving, comprehensive investigation, and thorough communication with clients.