Project Description

2017, the scheduled year of completion for this national monument, marked the 125th anniversary of the Lord Stanley’s gift, the 100th season of the National Hockey League, and the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation. This beautiful ‘alignment of the stars’ was the inspiration for the Arch’s function: The Arch of Light acts as both a monumental sculpture and a sun calendar that demarcates key moments in the history of the NHL. Much like ancient stone constructions - carefully crafted to measure time and tangibly display a relationship with the cosmos - the Arch projects the silhouette of Stanley Cup onto the floor of the city using the unique northern light of Ottawa. As the sun slowly moves through the sky, so too does the shadow of the arch on the ground. With the passing of the day’s light the shape of the cup grows, much like the actual Stanley cup has grown in height over the years. Overall, the project is an investigation into how national identity can be formed around something like competitive sport and how, through a careful reading of its history, an iconic form can become a monument, which in turn, activates public space and gives reason to celebrate collectively.