Kent Bloomer’s Tree Domes, constructed for the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition, form the centerpiece of the Fair’s half-mile long “Wonderwall” in downtown New Orleans. Supported on steel, trunk-like columns, the aluminum crowns of the trees measure 40′ high and 63′ wide, shading the sidewalk below. The hand-cut aluminum leaves are formed and bolted to swooping metal trusses to create an airy enclosure for an ice cream concession tucked in the bay below.

Inspired by Victorian metal pergolas, Bloomer’s Tree Domes harmonize with the steel framework lining the central promenade and its colorful array of buildings and attractions. The abstracted metal leaf forms recall shaded city streets, adding refreshing density to the temporary exposition architecture along the New Orleans waterfront.

Master Architects: Allen Eskew of Perez Associates Consulting Architects: Charles Moore, William Turnbull, Arthur Anderson