MBNA 2024 Design Award Winner – Public Monument

On November 11, 2008, the Florence Veterans Park Committee and the City of Florence officially opened the Florence Veterans Park after years of planning and a $2,000,000 construction. Since the park’s inception, a new veterans monument has been added nearly every year. 

Brown Memorials approached this project by designing a period-specific building section then deconstructing it as if it were war-torn. Rock borders and textures enhance the war-torn effect. With so many pieces that must fit together and textures that transition from one stone to the next, the design and spec phase was very thorough and lengthy to facilitate an easier installation.

This project has evolved over a decade through a collaboration between Bran Oswalt, AICA and bronze sculptor Alex Palkovich. The concept always centered around the theme of a soldier writing a letter home surrounded by the impact of war.

The design and development phase was approximately three months. Fabrication began in March 2022 and installation was completed in October 2022.

Design includes approximately 40 pieces of imported Snow White granite stone weighing a combined 25 tons.