Penn State Chooses ‘All-In’ Commemorative Piece Designer And Plan

Penn State is moving forward with a concept and designer for a piece to commemorate the school’s “All-In” campaign — a movement committed to diversity and inclusion that hopes to “foster open-minded community and thoughtful discussions, respectful of everyone regardless of all the ways we differ.”

Juan Ruescas, a visiting professor in the university’s architecture department and a registered architect in Spain, was selected as the designer. He plans to construct a monument on the east side of Old Main, which will “will evoke a forest with tree elements of different heights and sizes inviting the visitor into a clearing.”

The trees will be made of steel with rusted bark on the outside and it’s expected to create a “sunflower effect” with the trees facing toward the large space in the middle of the piece. The design also plans to use trees that are already on the east side of Old Main.

“Diversity is such an important part of who we are at Penn State — diversity of people, backgrounds, opinions, races, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, research, and perspectives,” Penn State President Eric Barron said. “This beautiful creative piece will underscore what we mean when we say ‘We Are Penn State’ and encourage all members of the community to ‘Be who you are. Together.’”

The piece is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2018.