Redondo Arch

John T. Young

Redondo Beach Park

Eight tons of granite create a symbolic focal point for a waterfront park.

Along the rocky coastline of Redondo Waterfront Park, John T. Young’s Redondo Arch frames a view of Puget Sound with eight tons of granite held together by steel cables. Originally commissioned as a metaphorical gateway, the sculpture is not only a focal point for the park, but a powerful symbol of what has been and what will be.

The arch is positioned in the plaza of the two-acre park, which includes 325 feet of shoreline between Seattle and Tacoma. Its form echoes the rugged Olympic Mountains in the distance, and its materials, like the site, reflect human interaction with nature. To obtain the granite for this work, Young used a drill-wedge technique—a version of which dates back to ancient Egypt—along with controlled dynamite blasts.

Redondo Arch narrowly survived destruction when a violent storm in January 1991 eroded the seawall and its pilings. As the artist looked on anxiously, crews used cranes and house-moving equipment to hoist it to safety in a nearby parking lot, where it waited for two years while the seawall was rebuilt. Young then worked with the project’s engineers to re-site the piece in its current location, where it has stood since October 1993.

Based in Seattle, Young is a sculptor who creates large-scale outdoor public artworks, primarily using granite, stone, concrete, and steel. He taught sculpture and public art at the University of Washington for more than 20 years, and his work is held in dozens of collections across the United States.