Jeff Laramore - 2nd Globe Studios

Measuring approximately 36 feet tall and 50 feet long, the structures recycled aluminum exterior (painted cardinal red) covers an interior steel structure. The total sculpture weighs just over 30,000 pounds. The Cardinal is perched on a wall that, from overhead, forms the shape of a tulip tree branch, the leaves of which are etched into the plazas hardscape.

The Cardinal and hardscape of the plaza, are tributes to Indianas state bird (Cardinal) and state tree (Tulip).

When viewed from above - as from the windows of the adjacent JW Marriott Indianapolis - the cardinal will appear to be perched on tulip tree branch formed by the stonework in the plaza.

Another key feature of the plaza is a 60-foot-long waterwall, featuring a multitude of peonies - Indiana's state flower - depicted in stone behind a cascade of water.

The features were designed by Jeff Laramore of 2nd Globe Studios, which has studios in Indianapolis and Vancouver, British Columbia. Linel Signature of Mooresville was the fabricator of the cardinal sculpture, spending over spent 6 months cutting, shaping, and welding.

Using flatbed trucks, workers took the pieces to Indianapolis and installed them over the course of three weeks, with the last piece going up last Wednesday, said Paul Knapp, CEO of Young and Laramore.

The width of the bird varies from virtually nothing at the beak to approx. 21-foot-wide at the tail. It's made of 15,000 pounds of steel and 15,000 pounds of aluminum.

Paint estimates are as follows: 22 gallons of colored paint, 7 gallons of primer, and 12 gallons of clear coat.