Kansas City Spirit is a site-specific sculptural intervention for Barney Allis Plaza, located in the center of Kansas City. The project was selected in 2025 following an international competition organized as part of the plaza’s redevelopment into a new public space.

The artwork is informed by the history of the site, which was formerly occupied by Convention Hall. Built in 1899, the neo-classical building played a central role in the civic life of Kansas City. In 1900, only months before the Democratic National Convention, a fire destroyed the hall. Rather than accept defeat, the city mobilized with remarkable determination and rebuilt the structure within 90 days. This event became a pivotal moment in Kansas City’s history and a lasting emblem of resilience, civic pride, and collective action—often referred to as the Kansas City Spirit. Convention Hall remained in use until it was replaced by the Municipal Auditorium in the 1930s and demolished shortly thereafter.

This historical narrative forms the conceptual foundation of the site-specific artwork, which establishes a dialogue between past and present. The project reinterprets the iconic façade of Convention Hall as a spatial drawing, materialized through fine steel profiles. Rather than reconstructing the building, the artwork evokes its silhouette and architectural rhythm, allowing recognizability to coexist with openness and lightness. The structure functions as an interpretation of memory: partial, fragmented, and adapted to the current condition of the site.

The installation consists of four monumental fragments positioned at the corners of Barney Allis Plaza. Together, they delineate the perimeter of the site and frame the public space without enclosing it. Acting as gateways, the fragments mark the entrances to the plaza while maintaining visual and physical permeability. Seen from the surrounding streets, the structure operates as a landmark that announces the presence of the plaza. At ground level, the arches guide movement and invite passage. Through its restrained formal language and precise material articulation, Kansas City Spirit contributes to the spatial identity of Barney Allis Plaza and reflects on the role of collective memory within a contemporary civic space.

COMMISSION
Kansas City, Missouri

CURATOR
Petrichor Projects

REALISATION DATE
2026

LOCATION
Barney Allis Plaza, Kansas City (USA)

(View on map)