Podium in the Park

Dallin Evans

Podiums are structures intended for addressing congregations. Some are elaborate, such as the Presidential Palace balcony adjacent to the Zocalo in Mexico City, where the president delivers the annual “Grito.” Others are much more simple, such as early Russian socialist and later communist podium designs Lenin used for rallies. This was a simple stair case with a hollow concrete rectangle in which the orator would deliver his message.

Here is a design for a podium that, as the title implies, is meant to be in a park. The design is meant to fit into a small town rural community and be a place for local gatherings. It could be a place where Mayors and city councilmen pitch their platforms, or an area for sitting to eat a BBQ, or simply to gather with others and enjoy the space.

There are two stages, one at the entrance that is small and safe for children. This stage faces a staircase which would double as the second stage. The back of the podium is open to whatever is behind it, which would accommodate for a much larger crowd and a scenic view into the park. The inside of the podium is formed from a simple sphere that is carved out to create a dome, also carved out are arrayed rectangles to let light into the stage and allow views out to the park from the seating. The surface you will see is represented graphically with patterns. In a real construction they would be seen—most likely—as wood, concrete, or metal, but they are not here, so that the same design can take on different materials in different parks, according to the needs and designs of its context.