Veterans Memorial Plaza, Chaplain Schmitt Island

Working with the Dubuque Racing Association and its Island Task Force, RDG Planning & Design developed a Placemaking & Implementation Plan designed to enhance the overall riverfront, create a direct connection for users to the Mississippi River and establish a sense of place for the community. Our team led a four-month planning process resulting in Phase 1 park improvements that unify a series of existing memorials, restore the shoreline edge, integrate new artwork and create places for people to connect. This project required permitting through multiple state and federal agencies, establishing a structured phasing process (due to budget constraints) and engaging various collaborative partners. Resting at the end of a pier suspended over water, the art piece "Skyward" provides a vicarious experience symbolizing the final moments of Chaplain Schmitt as he raised sailors to safety until he lost his own life aboard the ill-fated USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Designed as a contemplative fold giving visitors respite for reflection, this piece contains the Edward Thomas poem “Rain.” Glancing up, the truncated shape frames the last thing Chaplain Schmitt saw on this earth: the sky.

Resting at the end of a pier suspended over water, the art piece provides a vicarious experience symbolizing the final moments of Chaplain Schmitt as he raised sailors to safety until he lost his own life aboard the ill-fated USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Designed as a contemplative fold giving visitors respite for reflection, this piece contains the Edward Thomas poem “Rain.” Glancing up, the truncated shape frames the last thing Chaplain Schmitt saw on this earth: the sky.

Resting at the end of a pier suspended over water, the art piece “Skyward” provides a vicarious experience symbolizing the final moments of Dubuque native Chaplain Schmitt as he raised sailors to safety until he lost his own life aboard the ill-fated USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Designed as a contemplative fold giving visitors respite for reflection, this piece contains the Edward Thomas poem “Rain.” Glancing up, the truncated shape frames the last thing Chaplain Schmitt saw on this earth: the sky.  Integrated into the decking, sequenced color changing uplights evoke various moods from water reflection to gentle dancing flames in a campfire and are selectable and programmable by the owner depending on the time of year or an event scheduled for the Plaza.  The design intent is for the user to become fully immersed in the visual environment once they step into the sculpture.