Release - The Vinik Family Foundation presents The Beach Tampa by Snarkitecture
The Vinik Family Foundation invites Tampa Bay to share in an interactive architectural installation that will bring a beach to downtown Tampa. Created by Snarkitecture, The Beach Tampa is a 15,000 square foot immersive environment featuring an “ocean” of 1.2 million recyclable and antimicrobial white balls. Open to the public at no cost, The Beach Tampa begins August 5, 2016 and runs through August 25, 2016 at AMALIE Arena.
The Beach will be staged in an all-white enclosure made of construction materials including scaffolding, wall panels, and perforated mesh, creating a sense of wonder and anticipation, while also recalling a boardwalk beach arcade. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to go for a “swim”, enjoy the view from the water’s edge or stroll along the pier. The shoreline will be a site of relaxation and activity, complete with a monochromatic beach hut, beach chairs, umbrellas and other beach activities for visitors. The 75-foot wide shoreline opens up to a sea of balls enclosed within mirrored walls that will create an infinite reflected expanse.
The white balls comprising the ocean are protected with GermBLOCK, a safe, powerful agent that provides antimicrobial protection for guests against 50 different germs and bacteria for the life of the balls.
“After visiting The Beach DC last summer, I was inspired to share Snarkitecture’s vision with Tampa Bay” says Penny Vinik. “The Beach Tampa transforms the familiar beach experience into a truly unique, visually stimulating and tactile activity. It’s just pure fun. Jeff and I welcome all of Tampa Bay to visit The Beach Tampa and look forward to seeing everyone there.”
“The Beach Tampa is an interactive and immersive installation that explores the boundaries between art and architecture while inspiring play and relaxation” said Alex Mustonen, co-founder of Snarkitecture. “With all of our projects we aim to encourage visitor interaction and exploration of the surrounding environment in new and unexpected ways. We look forward to bringing a 15,000 square foot beach to Amalie Arena and inviting the public to experience downtown Tampa in an entirely new way.”
Presented at AMALIE Arena, The Beach Tampa is open to the public at no cost. Timed tickets are available to minimize wait times at Ticketmaster.com. Free general admission tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis during all hours of operation at the McDonald’s Ticket Office at AMALIE Arena. Visitors can park for free at the South Regional Garage and each guest will be treated to a free ice cream. Please see below for exact details.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Open August 5, 2016 to August 25, 2016
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Thursday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Admission: The Beach Tampa is a free experience with two ways to procure tickets.
Visit TheBeachTampa.com or Ticketmaster.com starting at 10:00 AM to reserve a timed-entry ticket. No fees will apply for ticket charges and you must use print at home options.
General admission tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis during all hours of operations at the McDonald’s Ticket Office at AMALIE Arena.
Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Parking: Free parking is available in the South Regional Parking Garage. To access free parking you must receive a parking voucher while attending The Beach Tampa to present upon exit from the lot.
For more information, please visit www.thebeachtampa.com.
About Snarkitecture
Snarkitecture is a New York-based architecture and design studio co-founded by Alex Mustonen and Daniel Arsham in 2008. As Snarkitecture’s commissions evolve in breadth and scope, the practice has grown in kind. Partner Benjamin Porto (M. Arch, Columbia) joined in 2014, to help oversee the expanding studio team.
Snarkitecture explores the disciplinary boundaries between art and architecture. The name is drawn from Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of The Snark, a poem describing an “impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature.” Snarkitecture’s approach focuses on viewer experience, encouraging interaction with and exploration of the surrounding environment. The studio manipulates and reinterprets existing materials, structures and programs to make architecture perform the unexpected.
About Vinik Family Foundation (VFF)
The Vinik Family Foundation is a private foundation, created and managed by Jeff and Penny Vinik. Founded in 1997, VFF’s mission is to support initiatives in the areas of education, human services, healthcare and the arts. To date, the Foundation has donated over $50 million to non-profits throughout the country, with a specific focus on the Vinik’s previous hometown of Boston and their new hometown of Tampa Bay. Since 2010, VFF has given over $20 million to various philanthropic organizations in Tampa Bay, half through the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Community Hero program, which honors a grass roots community hero at each home game.