Gathering of a Same Time

Inspired by the area’s history, artist Stephen Cruise conceived a bold, playful design using apples as his subject matter. The site, once an apple orchard, is now overlooked by a series of high-rise condos. The artist explored this theme of duality with a number of unique creative touches, including two halves of the same apple—one bearing a map of the area in 1878, the other showing how it looked in 2002.

Granite was the ideal medium for this design, which required 32 distinct pieces in three colours, including a tower with eight apple baskets. First we sent miniature models to our suppliers in India to ensure accurate shaping of the many components. During this process we remained in constant touch with the suppliers, helping keep everything on track and closely monitoring the level of workmanship. When the pieces arrived at our facility we sandblasted maps into the two apple halves. Then we arranged for the installation, which required our presence on site to ensure the awkwardly shaped pieces were handled correctly.

Although the area looks dramatically different today, the design serves as an eye-catching reminder of its past. Residents not only get to step back in time, they get a unique architectural feature that livens up an otherwise unremarkable space.