The Big Questions - Science Center of Iowa Permanent Installation
View of Plaza and Amphitheater		Location: Des Moines, Iowa 2007 Size: One acre site adjacent to newly built Science Museum Materials: Earthwork, planting, stone, sandblasting into concrete Budget: $245,000 Rain Garden by Heard Gardens, Des Moines Sandblasting by Mark Eighmy Neumann Brothers, contractors, of Des Moines generously and skillfully constructed the project at cost, with no profit.
The Big Questions re-developed the eastern side of the Science Center so that the site now serves as a gathering place for educational programs, a play area, and a science exhibit.
The main element is a large earth berm in the shape of a question mark designed as an amphitheater.		Overall View - Students in Amphitheater
Detail: "If you were huge, could the universe be your atom?"		The concrete plaza next to the berm is inscribed with orbiting planets and large questions spilling out of the question mark. These inscriptions ask questions like, “How heavy is a cloud? If you were very small, could an atom be your universe? Why can't you tickle yourself?” --encouraging curiosity and generating more questions.
The dot of the question mark is a seating area that is shaped like an atom and the electrons orbiting around it are granite seats.		Atom Seating Area with Electron Seats
Detail of Electron Seat		A rain garden, which keeps and re-uses rain water on the site, replaces the storm sewer drainage and creates an additional exhibit. Not only is the site now fully functional, but also the exploration that occurs within the building now spreads out onto the grounds.
Photos by James R. Cobb
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