Images Courtesy of: Bolton and Menk, Charlotte Business Journal, Jonny Archives

The Nest, the centerpiece of McColl Park, embodies the park’s themes of identity, unity, and transformation. The concept draws from two powerful ideas: Charlotte’s historic nickname, the “Hornet’s Nest”, a symbol of defiance, resilience, and civic pride, and the metaphor of a nest as a structure formed from diverse, interwoven elements working collectively.

The installation consists of fifty-six-foot-tall vertical cylinders suspended from a catenary cable system, creating a sense of weightlessness as it hovers above the tree canopy. This elevated form introduces a dramatic vertical rhythm to the landscape while preserving openness and visual continuity throughout the park. During the day, the sculpture modulates light and shadow across the site; at night, integrated accent lighting transforms The Nest into a softly glowing beacon visible within the urban skyline. Beneath the structure, a mirrored water feature reinforces its spatial centrality, offering layered visual experiences that shift with changes in light, season, and viewer perspective.