Room for Hope
Steel, live tree, concrete, 11’W x 11’D x 25’H
George Sim Community Center, Sacramento, CA
At first glance, Room for Hope appears simple—a house without walls, defined only by the clean geometry of steel I-beams and the living presence of a single tree. The structure outlines a pitched roof, its frame painted a deep, weathered rust that resonates with the California landscape. But as viewers move around it, the work reveals a hidden word: “HOPE,” spelled out letter by letter on each wall. Only through motion does its meaning come fully into view.
The title carries a quiet duality. It suggests that there is always space—always room—for hope to enter our lives. Yet it also conjures the image of a dwelling, a place where hope itself might reside, sheltered and enduring. In this interplay, the living tree stands as the heart of the work: a symbol of growth, renewal, and resilience.
By constructing the house from the very letters that spell its message, Room for Hope merges language and architecture into a single gesture. The result is a meditation on the interdependence of life and hope—each sustaining the other, both essential to the structure of being.