New Bedford, MA: City of Light

New Bedford, MA: City of Light

Many cities have adopted the name City of Light(s), among them: Anchorage, Baltimore, Birmingham, Los Angeles, Miami, Johannesburg, Venice, Paris, and yes, even Chicago, but only New Bedford can boast itself the original (at least within the America s). Taking as our inspiration New Bedford s rich historical origins, our concept bridges the past with the future and transplants it into the SOFA Chicago expo arena. Proclaimed the City of Light because of the massive quantities of oil its whaling industry produced, which lit street lamps and homes in the South Coast and around the world, New Bedford s principal source of wealth and prestige has long since faded into the annals of history, but its artistic histories live on today.

Using New Bedford s City of Light epithet as our point of departure, we have re-imagined the streetlights which line much of downtown New Bedford as modular building blocks. The re-envisioned lamppost form addresses both spatial and practical concerns. The block allows us create a variety of components including: benches, lampposts, walls, and shelving areas. With sustainability in mind, we propose creating the modular lamp structures from naturally sourced materials. Poplar wood will serve as the primary material for the bases, and textiles will be used to create lampshades. Our decision to utilize fabrics for the shades is a nod to New Bedford s textile industry which spans

nearly as far back as its more famous whaling and oil trade. The artistic choices in materials intentionally highlight aspects of the city s historic background to create an authentic and multi-faceted immersive experience. The bases for our modular lampposts will be constructed from solid wood using basic, sturdy joinery. Once assembled, the individual elements will be bundled together to form units. Depending on their configuration, these will yield the benches, lampposts, walls, and shelving components. Owing to the fact that the lamps can be arranged in different ways horizontally for benches, vertically for posts and at varying levels throughout the space, the lighting configuration will in turn differ from section to section. These variations will add visual interest and generate rhythmic shadow play throughout the space, creating an oasis of light and drawing visitors in. We hope to achieve an engaging and inviting area through the use of soft lighting, an uncluttered visual environ, and minimal enclosure. The open floor plan allows for maximum circulation throughout the space. The wall structures that delineate the space are meant to be viewed from the outside; in this way we take advantage of the periphery which in turn becomes the main display area where CONNECT visitors can peruse artworks. These works will be illuminated from above and/or below depending on the arrangement of our lighting elements.

Furthermore, we have divided the floor plan into separate but seamlessly integrated areas. The first mimics a street promenade with two rows of lampposts, and benches staggered at intervals, allowing guests to walk through the space unhampered by solid enclosures. This diagonal lane creates a short-cut through the space and invites visitors to cross through. Ideally, however, passers-by who utilize the promenade will also engage with the second area whose threshold is demarcated by the benches. This second section is framed by a cornered wall, and will contain additional seating elements. It is a cozy, semi-private area where visitors can sit, enjoy the diffused lighting, and investigate the subtle details inscribed throughout the installation. We have kept the overall look of the space visually sparse and uncluttered. Our intent is to create an inviting light

space visually sparse and uncluttered. Our intent is to create an inviting light oasis for relaxation amidst the sensory bombardment that typically characterizes large-scale expos. We view SOFA s CONNECT exhibition as an unrivaled opportunity to showcase the artistic and creative talent that currently thrives in New Bedford. And because engaging the public is as important to the design as it is to the construction of the space, university students from the local arts community will create the elements which define and delimit the installation area. UMass Dartmouth boasts four disciplines within its Artisanry department: ceramics, fibers, metals, and wood. Our space will harness the individual talents from all four departments in the eventual creation of the design elements. Additionally, by commissioning individual artists and artisans to modify each of the solitary lampposts which frame the walkway, we will give voice to the artistic and cultural community that is so much a part of New Bedford s current revitalization. The resulting installation will engage and connect both the SOFA Chicago visitors as well as New Bedford s flourishing artistic community. Furthermore, we envision that the installation will live on after the SOFA CONNECT exhibition. While it is clear that the spatial environment will create cross-disciplinary connections within the University and then stretch outwardly to Chicago and the CONNECT visitors, it is similarly important that

these connections reach back to the city itself. New Bedford s city-landscape is rich with potential: many un-used and abandoned lots, construction sites, and currently neglected spaces would benefit from this unique installation, by bringing light to darkened areas, and furthering community enrichment. The flexibility of (re-)arrangement that these modular lamps offer, will allow us to iterate on its design many times over. As such, the installation will be customizable to a variety of city sites interior and exterior, large and small. However, our first avenue of exploration will be to connect with the city s most popular arts tradition: AHA! Nights. This free monthly celebration of arts and culture opens the downtown area, its various galleries, museums, restaurants and schools to the public. It showcases the work of local and regional artists, artisans, and performers, connecting New Bedford s culturally diverse population in a safe, community-based forum. This grass-roots effort to spur New Bedford s revitalization by bringing people into downtown has been perhaps the single most successful venture in breathing life back into New Bedford. As a semi-permanent or floating environment which could be installed in the downtown area, this space would serve as a testament to its origins, and a reminder both of the city s own history, and of the potential that its residents, artists and non-artists alike, have long admired. The subsequent reincarnation of the exhibit space

also takes into account the all too frequent and many times unnecessary waste that is a by-product of such large-scale and temporary fixtures. With environmental consciousness in mind and a desire to trace the space s conceptual trajectory back to its starting place, the re-installation of this modular environ serves dual purposes. What begins as an indoor space ultimately returns to its exterior origins and thus more effectively engages and interfaces with the city from which it was conceived. Light plays a major literal role within the concept and realization of our spatial environment, but it is an equally important metaphorical tool. Our goal with this project is to shed light, not just literally, but figuratively on the city of New Bedford whose glory days of wealth and prosperity have faded into the past, but whose creative history lives on. Deemed on of America s most artistic cities, this creative energy sustains the community and draws new talent to the University and the city today. This talent is the single most important factor in New Bedford s revitalization, as such, it deserves to be brought out of the dusky corners and dimly cast shadows that characterize much of the outside perception of this great city. In 1847 New Bedford s City Seal motto was proclaimed: Lucem Diffundo or Spreading Light. If selected to participate in SOFA CONNECT, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth s Artisanry department will spread its light to Chicago!