A NON-URBAN FOCUS

AN INTRODUCTION TOPUBLIC ART IN

TRANSPORTATION

CREATED BY NINA BORGIA-ABERLE FOR THECITY OF TUCSON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Artist Planners and Project Artists

Artist Planners work with the Design Team andCommunity during the initial planning phase ofthe project. Their role is to provide preliminaryplanning services for the roadway or corridorand will not be creating art. The goals of thisprocess are:

• Understand the public art opportunities and constraints• Determine potential art locations• Identify themes and/or types of public art that areappropriate for each location

• Identify unique opportunities along the roadway• Research the site from a cultural and historical perspective• Develop guidelines for project artist selections• Provide resources for future project public artists

Project Artists share many of the goals of theArtist Planners, however they provide specificart design and art elements for the project.They work with the design team during thedesign phase and then create art for the projectduring the construction phase.

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Federal and State FundingFederal and state governments provide thelargest share of funding for transportationprojects. These include roadway and transit(rail, bus) projects as well as bicycle andpedestrian projects.

Local FundingCities and Counties may also pass local taxinitiatives to fund transportation projects. Localexamples include the $350 million Pima County1997 Roadway Bond Program and the $2.1billion 2006 Regional Transportation Authoritybond program.

Funding Sources

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Why Art?

• Improves the “livability” of our city

• Symbol of civic enlightenment

• Reflects a sense of place

• Celebrates our culture and encouragescultural tourism

• Adds value to infrastructure

• Humanizes aspects of the project

• Adds beauty to our neighborhoods

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Community Involvement with Art Process

Citizen Design Review Committee (CDRC) rolewith artist:

• Share neighborhood perspective and identity

• Help artists make a connection to thecommunity

• Understand the art process so that futureproject committees will make informedchoices

• Act as liaison to greater community in orderto help educate and share information aboutthe process

• Offer feedback and constructive criticism

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General TransportationDefinitions

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Infrastructure

Infrastructure is a built element such as aroadway, utility lines, drainageway orcomponents of those elements.It can include:

* Pavement* Sidewalks* Curbs* Drainage Channels* Walls* Traffic Signals* Signage* Lighting

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Scenic Roadways may have unique views or natural and visual resources such asvegetation, architecture and geology.

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Nodes are locations along a transportation corridor (roadway, transit route, bikeroute, trail) that may have higher activity or concentrations due to an activity centeror amenities. In a rural setting, a node could incorporate landscaping or naturalfeatures.

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Right of Way is property or land that for a roadway includes the cleared land areaon each side of the road that may include landscaping, utility lines, walls, andwalking paths. The road right-of-way is much wider than the actual road itself andtypically extends to adjacent property lines. Artists often look for areas in the right ofway that may be appropriate for the placement of artwork.

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Retaining Wall is a walldesigned to hold back earth

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Sound Wall is a walldesigned to block noise orsound that exceeds certainlimits

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Paving on roadways is typically asphalt; sidewalks are concrete; but somepedestrian areas may be paved with bricks or paving stones. Medians are typicallynot paved except for short sections at intersections which may be paved in concrete.

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Channelized Wash is a wash or drainageway that has been modified and lined withconcrete or other material to mimimize or prevent erosion and keep the wash limitedto a specific course.

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Rail tends to be metal, tubular steel

designed to block pedestrian travel.

Artist designed square tubular rail with art element

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Lighting on roadways traditionally isdesigned to improve visibility atintersections

Lighting is often used by artists as partof their artwork and can include Solarand LED lighting

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General Art Definitions

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Abstract Art does not imitate or directly represent external reality. Basedon the theory that form, line and color can be a visual language withoutneeding to refer to external realities.

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Representational Art attempts to accurately depict its subject so that it isrecognizable to the viewer.

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Media refers to the primarymaterial an artist uses such as steelor cast bronze.

Mixed media refers to the use ofmore than one material in a work ofart. 19

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Some artists primarily use one media

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Visual vocabulary refers to the visual language an artist uses to expressthemselves and their ideas. If you look at several works of art by one artist you willbegin to see how they use materials and how they “think” and express their ideas.The artwork may vary but you will see similarities in their approach that could bedefined as their visual language.

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Aesthetic vision refers to the artist’s concept of what is artistically valid. This mayinclude the concepts of good design, beauty, a sense of the way materials are usedand handled by the artist, a sense of what may be cohesive with the site.

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Artistic inspiration in part is aprocess that combines the artist’sinternal feelings and thoughts withexternal influences resulting in a workof art.

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Site-specific art is made for a certain place, which cannot be separated orexhibited apart from its intended environment. Most public art falls into this generalcategory of “site specific art”.

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Environmental Art focuses on interrelationships between humans and nature andmay use natural materials and landscapes to convey meaning. Environmental artmay restore damaged ecosystems and landscapes or may simply interprethistorical, social, and environmental information.

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Environmental Art

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Stand-alone art consists of sculptural artworks that are placed within theright of way where there is adequate space and viewing opportunity.

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Stand-alone art consists of sculptural artworks that are placed within theright of way where there is adequate space and viewing opportunity.

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Art that is integrated within infrastructuremeans that it is physically attached to or exists asan aspect of the infrastructure.

This art can take many forms:* A Bridge – form, supports, underside and sides, railings,median etc.

* Walls - retaining walls, sound walls, free standing, andseating walls

* Paving - sidewalks, medians, roadway, comfort area.Materials include concrete, stone, brick, pavers, and rockmulch

* Lighting or signage.

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Art integrated with railand fencing

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Art Integrated within Concrete Infrastructure

Form liner work: apositive or negativedesign form is placedinside the form that theconcrete is cast into.

Retaining walls with form liner and tile work

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Paving Patterns

Paving patterns can be made from avariety of materials including brick,tile, stone, and stamped concrete

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Ceramic Tile, Stone, or GlassIntegrated in Walls

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The Design is the Art-Artist and Engineer CollaborationsIn many cases artists collaborate with engineers, to influence thefundamental design of systems from bridges to parking structures. Theartist may never physically make any part of the structure however it istheir thinking and design that contributes to “outside the box” thinkingabout these structures. It is important to remember the artist is not justthere to “beautify” or “decorate” a structure.

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Landscape architects and artists areoften primary collaboratorswhen the public art is integrated into the landscapeareas and features. This goes well beyond thelandscape acting as a setting to show off the art. Thehardscape (built features such as paving, walls, fencesand railings, boulders, shade structures, and lightingstandards) may be integral or the art itself. The plantingcan carry a theme, meet functional needs, and createvisual excitement. When the art and landscape designharmonize, the overall effect is much greater than theindividual parts.

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