RIVER SOUNDINGS 60-FOOT ILLUMINATED BEACON PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION NOW GLOWS ON THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT

The developers of Rivermark Northern Liberties on Philadelphia’s Delaware River Waterfront – Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG) with Haverford Development Partners – are welcoming River Soundings, a landmark public art installation standing 60-feet tall. 

A creation of Seattle-based Haddad | Drugan – the internationally renowned conceptual artist team of Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan – River Soundings is a reflection of the uniqueness of the Delaware River. Elements of its logging and maritime history, as well as its visual qualities and the early methods used to navigate it, are all represented in the sculpture.

River Soundings illustrates “marking the river” – also known as sounding – through plumbing its depths with lead lines. It represents the bathymetry, various depths, of the portion of the Delaware River adjacent to Rivermark, the former Festival Pier site.   

This iconic public art piece is a community focal point for both residents and visitors of Rivermark Northern Liberties, a mixed-use development with 470 luxury rental units across two residential buildings; 45,000 square feet of retail anchored by a 24,000-square-foot Sprouts Farmers Market; and 4 acres of waterfront public-use space – including an extension of the Delaware River Trail, sitting areas, and lawns.

“We are excited for the installation of River Soundings as the capstone at Rivermark Northern Liberties,” said Drew Chapman, JAG Senior Vice President and Development Partner. “The artists have created a thoughtful and intricate sculpture that will be a literal and figurative beacon on the Rivermark waterfront, visible for miles and colorfully illuminated at night. The colors will reflect the community – perhaps red, white and blue on patriotic holidays and green on Eagles game days.”

The sculpture is constructed with three 60-foot tall steel columns with circular frames at the top and 12 feet above the ground. The space in between the frames is a distance measuring eight fathoms (48 feet) which approximates the deepest river depth adjacent to Rivermark at high tide. 

Nearly 100 vertical cables adorned with over 3,000 shimmering 6-inch diameter discs in shades of blue inspired by light reflecting on the water will be suspended between the two circular frames. Each cable is anchored by a reflective stainless steel piece that mimics the shape and size of a sounding weight used in traditional lead lines for depth sounding. The placement of the weights on the cables varies to convey the river bathymetry specific to Rivermark. 

“The sculpture is like an extrusion of the river, pulled up above the surface, a soaring tower representing the depths below,” artist Haddad said. “We imagine that this piece will act as a beacon as seen from a distance, similar to a navigational marker or lighthouse.” For those experiencing the work up close, the sculpture also includes a collection of etchings at its base, inspired by navigational devices specific to the Delaware River.

River Soundings was commissioned under the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation's (PHDC) pioneering Percent for Art program established in 1959 – the nation’s first initiative requiring developers working with public entities to allocate funds for public art. Philadelphia’s modern program requires art that is tailored to the location of a new development and includes an educational component. 

“As proud as I am of the overall real estate project, I believe that Rivermark Northern Liberties will come to be known for, and identified by, this art piece,” said Charles Houder, Founder of Haverford Development Partners and a native of the Philadelphia area. “To me, that is when public art has reached its apex.”

“The transformation of Festival Pier into Rivermark Northern Liberties marks an important milestone for Philadelphia’s waterfront,” said Joseph A. Forkin, President of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. "This installation honors the Delaware River’s legacy and serves as a welcoming centerpiece for a vibrant, accessible, and art-filled waterfront. It shows what’s possible when design, development, and public purpose come together."