The terrazzo floor inside the King County International Airport terminal building depicts the connection between the earth, the moon, and the cosmos. Our Place in Space, by Paul Marioni and Ann Troutner, offers a vision for how we, as people, fit into the universe.

The building’s front doors open to a series of land and sea forms that represent North America. From there, a dark blue expanse sparkles with embedded glass, suggesting deep space—vast, fragile, and flecked with countless stars and other astronomical objects. On the other side of the room, an image of the moon evokes cycles of waxing and waning, light and dark. When people walk from the entryway to the ticket counter they are walking to the moon; a trip across the floor becomes a poetic journey. Meanwhile a section of black-and-white checkerboard references the original floor.

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Paul Marioni and Ann Troutner began collaborating on architecturally integrated artworks in 1989 and completed more than 75 private and public commissions during their partnership, highlighting the spirit and personality of each place. Marioni and Troutner now work and exhibit independently; both have taught at Pilchuck Glass School and received numerous commissions and awards during their long careers.

About the Location

King County International Airport

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