Cementland
Encyclopedia
Cementland is a public art exhibit under construction on the 54-acre site of a former cement factory just north of St. Louis, Missouri
. The brainchild of sculptor Bob Cassilly
, who also created St. Louis' City Museum
, it contains giant concrete sculptures and obsolete machinery, and is to have navigable waterways, among many other features.
Much of the landscaping is built on dirt dumped by local construction companies, who used the land as a dump before Cassilly purchased it and now pay him for the privilege. Cassily was funding the construction of Cementland himself; the free material and income from the dumping helps underwrite what he says would "otherwise be an unaffordable project."
The site, outside the city boundaries in the village
of Riverview
, provides a view of the Gateway Arch
. “In the afternoon, when the sun shines on the city, you get this nice reflection. You don’t see all the trash and stuff. It’s the best view of the city,” Cassilly said.
On September 26, 2011, Cassilly was killed at the Cementland site after the bulldozer
he was driving flipped down a hill.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. The brainchild of sculptor Bob Cassilly
Bob Cassilly
Robert James Cassilly Jr. was an American sculptor, entrepreneur, and museum director. Based in St...
, who also created St. Louis' City Museum
City Museum
City Museum is a museum, consisting largely of repurposed architectural and industrial objects, housed in the former International Shoe building in the Washington Avenue Loft District of St...
, it contains giant concrete sculptures and obsolete machinery, and is to have navigable waterways, among many other features.
Much of the landscaping is built on dirt dumped by local construction companies, who used the land as a dump before Cassilly purchased it and now pay him for the privilege. Cassily was funding the construction of Cementland himself; the free material and income from the dumping helps underwrite what he says would "otherwise be an unaffordable project."
The site, outside the city boundaries in the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of Riverview
Riverview, St. Louis County, Missouri
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,856 people, 1,125 households, and 700 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,570 people per square mile . There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 1,406/sq mi...
, provides a view of the Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
. “In the afternoon, when the sun shines on the city, you get this nice reflection. You don’t see all the trash and stuff. It’s the best view of the city,” Cassilly said.
On September 26, 2011, Cassilly was killed at the Cementland site after the bulldozer
Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
he was driving flipped down a hill.