If you’ve had a chance to visit The Frontier since February, you might have noticed the atrium has been quite the construction zone. Soon after launching in January, we received word that we would be receiving a rather large piece of art for the area. Our entire staff was pumped about piece coming in on temporary loan, but due to its size, some work needed to be done in order to accommodate it.
Now, the wait is over! The Frontier and The Research Triangle Park are the new home of a piece of the Berlin Wall. Thanks to local philanthropist Gordon Smith, the first piece of the wall to ever be sold is on display in the atrium of The Frontier for anyone to view (or take selfies with).
It’s quite a sight to behold.
The sheer size of it is dumbfounding to experience in person. This sliver of a structure that was transformed from a symbol of despair, into a symbol change, is a very powerful thing to see. The graffiti adorning the formerly west facing side of the wall is colorful, while the east side is blank concrete. This contrast a stark reminder of the different lives led and lost, all because of a war and a wall.
Moving forward, we want people to let us know what the wall represents to them. The transformation and constant evolution of what the Berlin Wall came to symbolize is what resonates with many of us here at RTF. It reminds us in some ways of how RTP has been in transformation over the past few years. No longer are we totally thought of as a stoic, silent science park that cannot be infiltrated, but as a place that is open and free flowing with ideas.
If you’re interested in checking out the wall in person, come by and see it at The Frontier while we’re open Monday-Friday, 9am – 5pm. You can also check out a photo album on Facebook here.