Agenda Item No. 4b Agenda Report DATE: OCTOBER 24, 2016 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: ARTS COMMISSION ARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PUBLIC ART CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR WALNUT CREEK TRANSIT VILLAGE PARCEL 1 PARKING GARAGE STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Public Art Master Plan for the City of Walnut Creek states that the Arts Commission will approve the selection of sites, artists, and artworks for public art in private development. The Arts Commission is asked to review and provide feedback on the conceptual public art design by Dan Corson, the artist selected by the developer and approved by the Arts Commission, for the Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 parking garage. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: Review the conceptual design by Dan Corson for the Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 parking garage, and provide feedback to the artist and developer before the design is finalized. Also, make a motion to recommend to the Design Review Commission support for the proposed elimination of the baguette panel from the east side of the parking garage in the approved building design. DISCUSSION: The Walnut Creek BART station is a 16.8-acre site bounded by Ygnacio Valley Road on the south, Interstate 680 on the west, Pringle Avenue on the north, and North California Boulevard on the east. Project developer Walnut Creek Transit Lifestyle Associates, LLC, has been approved to construct a mixed-use, transit-oriented development that will entail construction, across three parcels, of 596 apartment units, approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial floor area, and an additional parking garage to accommodate both BART and residential parkers. The first phase to be developed and completed will be Parcel 1, which includes the new parking garage, a Contra Costa Transit Authority terminal, and a BART police station. On October 15, 2014, the Design Review Commission (DRC) approved two proposed locations for artwork on Parcel 1. Site A1 is located on the eastern façade of the new five-level parking garage. Site A2 nearby is a landscaped area outside the police station at the corner of Ygnacio Valley Road and the I-680 off-ramp. At its meeting of April 25, 2016, the Arts Commission considered the proposed locations and recommended that all Parcel 1 public art be consolidated into the garage façade location, identified as Site A1. The developer concurred with the Commissioners
Arts Commission Agenda Report Public Art Design for Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 Garage October 24, 2016 Page 2 recommendation and withdrew Site A2 from further consideration. See Attachment 1 for the approved public art locations. Working with art consultant Chandra Cerrito, the developer identified Seattle-based public artist Dan Corson as their preferred artist for the Parcel 1 project. On July 25, 2016, the Arts Commission approved Mr. Corson to design a public art component for the Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 parking garage. Conceptual Design Site A1 as presented to the Arts Commission on April 25 was located on the eastern façade of the new parking structure above the vehicular entrance to the garage. The proposed project expands the public art area to two locations on the four-story vertical panels of the eastern façade. Facing the building, the first location (Site A1a) is to the left of the auto entrance; the second (Site A1b) is to the right of the bus bay. The original and revised location plans are included as Attachment 2. Artist Dan Corson s concept proposes two related sculptures to be fabricated of powder-coated aluminum piping arrayed in lively and eye-catching forms. Inspired in part by natural forms such as flowers, the sculptures will also conjure a spinning motion like that of a wheel, referencing transportation. Like the spokes of a car wheel, each individual sculptural element is identical and is multiplied and rotated to create a unique form. Each pipe element will end in a reclaimed, ovalshaped cobra head streetlight fixture. (See Attachment 3 for images of the standard cobra head fixture.) In these artworks, the commonplace and utilitarian cobra head light will be elevated into something unexpected and celebratory. For the artist s full concept narrative, see Attachment 4. For conceptual renderings of the sculptures in situ, see Attachment 5. The sculptures will be vivid and dynamic, referencing the constant movement within the transit station, while their forms and bright colors will boldly contrast with and stand out from the neutralcolored building behind them. At night, the artwork will respond to the activity of the transit station, signaling the arrival and departure of BART trains with changing colors emanating from the cobra head light fixtures. An artist s rendering of the nighttime sculpture illumination is included as Attachment 6. Both sculptures will be clearly visible from the elevated BART train platform as well as from street level. The two sculptures will be powder-coated in colors of green and orange, per the artist s design depicted in Attachment 5. The sculpture at Site A1a, a spiral form, will measure 28 feet high by 20 feet wide by three feet deep. The sculpture at Site A1b, a radiating form, will measure 32 feet high by 32 feet wide by 4.5 feet deep. The pipes will be powder-coated aluminum (the same material as the refurbished cobra head fixtures) measuring four inches in diameter. The sculptures will stand off two inches from the façade wall with aluminum spacer supports. Power supply for the lighting will be run through the aluminum pipe. The artist, who has worked with recycled cobra head lights in the past, will source de-commissioned fixtures for the project that would otherwise be destined for the landfill.
Arts Commission Agenda Report Public Art Design for Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 Garage October 24, 2016 Page 3 The total public art budget for Parcel 1 is $346,148. This budget includes all design and labor fees, engineering, materials, installation, and artist s travel, as well as consulting fees. The preliminary project budget is included as Attachment 7. If approved, the artwork is tentatively scheduled to be installed in the 2 nd quarter of 2018, which is also the overall completion target for Parcel 1 development. Maintenance The sculptures will require periodic (estimated once every two years) pressure-washing to remove soot, grime, and rubber dust generated by the BART trains, car and bus traffic, and general urban environment. The LEDs should be inspected annually and will need to be replaced approximately every ten years. Maintenance, repair and replacement will be the responsibility of the project developer and/or property owner. Public Art Master Plan Criteria The City of Walnut Creek Public Art Master Plan provides criteria for the review of public art projects at several key stages of development. Conceptual art plans are reviewed for artistic quality (vision and originality), location, scale, accessibility, visibility, quality and durability of materials, maintenance and safety. Consideration to Modify Building Design The building design approved by the DRC includes several terra cotta baguette screening structures on the south and east sides of the parking garage, including one baguette screen on the east side between the corner tower element and the auto entrance. The existing design with baguette screen is depicted in Attachment 8, page 1. The artist recommends removing this panel so that it does not conflict with the artwork. The proposed building modification is shown on Attachment 8, page 2. The developer believes the simpler design without the panel is more harmonious with the proposed artwork concept, and seeks Arts Commission input on the recommendation to remove the baguette panel. If the Arts Commission supports the recommendation, the developer requests that the Arts Commission make a formal recommendation to this effect to the DRC, as the alteration to the approved building design will require DRC review and approval. Next Steps If the Arts Commission approves Mr. Corson s conceptual design, he will further develop the concept for the Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 parking garage, and the final art plan and specifications will be presented for approval at a future meeting of the Arts Commission. If the Arts Commission makes a motion to recommend removing the baguette panel, the developer will return to the DRC to request this alteration to building design.
Arts Commission Agenda Report Public Art Design for Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 Garage October 24, 2016 Page 4 FINANCIAL IMPACTS: There is no financial impact related to this action. DOCUMENTS ATTACHED: 1. WCTV overall art plan 2. Original and revised art location elevations 3. Cobra head fixture images 4. Artist s design concept narrative and project schedule 5. Illustrations of proposed artwork designs 6. Night illumination concept image 7. Preliminary public art project budget 8. Baguette screen current and proposed removal images ACTION REQUESTED: (1) Review the conceptual public art design by artist Dan Corson for the façade of the Walnut Creek Transit Village Parcel 1 parking garage, and provide feedback to the artist and developer before the design is finalized. (2) Make a motion to recommend to the Design Review Commission the elimination of the baguette panel from the east side of the garage in the approved design. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS: (1) The Commission could ask the artist to modify the concept design. (2) The Commission could ask the artist to explore alternative designs for the parking garage. (3) The Commission could decline to recommend elimination of the baguette panel to the Design Review Commission. PREPARED BY: Carrie Lederer, 925-295-1415, lederer@walnut-creek.org Steven Huss, 925-943-5899 x2158, huss@walnut-creek.org
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ATTACHMENT 4 Walnut Creek Transit Village Public Art Conceptual Design By Corson Studios LLC October 2016 Title (TBD) Artist Statement I love taking the humble ubiquitous and pedestrian cobra head transportationfocused lighting fixture and elevating it not only into an element of art, but also transforming something that was designed to be invisible and quietly blend into the urban infrastructure and metamorphosing it into its opposite- something to look at, celebrate and admire. The 2 sister sculptural forms are designed to conjure movement and action. Like a spinning car (or BART) wheel, each individual sculptural element is identical and is rotated to create a unique form. In the spirit of adaptive re-use, these types of lighting fixtures are being phased out and replaced with flat LED panels around the country. As a feature of the artwork, we will be recycling these fixtures, cleaning, painting, refurbishing and re-lamping them with controllable colored LEDs, replacing the old sodium vapor lamps; breathing fresh life into them. This artwork celebrates its urban nature with bold colors that juxtapose its silhouettes against the beige backdrop of the parking structure. Sculpturally expressive in the daytime, the form and colors are designed to stand off against the neutral backdrop of the parking structure. At night, the artwork is designed to be responsive to the adjacent train environment. It will celebrate the arrival and departures of the trains by changing color and providing chasing sequential colors that emanate from the cobra head fixtures. It is the intention that the colors will be more quiet and subdued (shifting between blues/teals/greens/yellows) and both sculptures slowly morph in the same color palette most of the time. When the trains arrive, the colors and speed of color changes and chases will become more dynamic and active and move www.corsonart.com / 206-910-5669/ dan@corsonart.com / 5707 29 th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98105
ATTACHMENT 4 to a warmer palette (oranges/reds). Each train platform will be assigned to interact with one sculpture providing a sense of interactivity and dynamic change. It is my professional opinion that the architectural baguettes should not be included in areas adjacent to the sculptures. Dimensions and Materials: The spiraling sculpture will be 28 h x 20 w x 3 deep The radiating sculpture will be 32 h x 32 w x 4.5 deep The pipe will be powder-coated aluminum (as are the refurbished cobra head fixtures) 4 in diameter. Stand off supports will be 2 in diameter and painted to match the parking garage. Power will be located inside the pipes. Normally cobra head fixtures take a 1.5-2 diameter pipe. We will be modifying ours to take a 4 diameter pipe that will provide a better scale for the artwork and will allow it to boldly stand off from the parking garage. Data lines for the BART Police station will be brought through the site. It is through these data lines that we will receive a signal indicating when a train is approaching either side of the station. Maintenance: Being adjacent to a BART station, air-borne soot, grime and rubber dust will need to be removed. Occasional pressure washing (low pressure) with a mild soap solution and rinse with clear water should be performed as needed (once every 2 years?). An annual inspection should be performed to make sure the LEDs are operational and are triggering as needed. The lifetime for LED replacement will be approximately every 10 years. Rough Schedule: Design and Approval: Late 2016 Engineering and permits: Winter 2017 Acquisition of cobra head fixtures: first half of 2017 Fabrication: spring 2017 January 2018 Installation: Q2 2018 Rough Budget: Please see associated spreadsheet www.corsonart.com / 206-910-5669/ dan@corsonart.com / 5707 29 th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98105
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ATTACHMENT 7 WALNUT CREEK TRANSIT VILLAGE Public Art by Dan Corson ROUGH BUDGET October 24, 2016 TOTAL ART $ 346,148 REQUIREMENT PART I: Artwork Budget Dan Corson / Corson Studios llc Preliminary Budget WCTV Total Artwork Budget $ 328,198 Design and fabrication budget 295,000 Item cost design fee 32,000 artist fee 32,000 engineering (structural+electrical) 6,615 fabrication/paint/install/ship 102,275 cobra head fixtures 8,500 LED retrofit + powdercoat 11,000 LED Control/playback systems 10,000 BART triggering +programming 9,000 electrical install 10,000 travel 5 x 1200 per trip 6,000 documentation 1,500 project management 8,000 plaque+install 750 sales tax 18,960 12% contingency 38,400 subtotal 295,000 Potential additional required services * 33,198 * If needed, may be allocated by Owner for BART Signal Infrastructure, electrical, licences, permits, or architectural services directly related to artwork or other infrastructure required to mount the artwork to the building, or for Artist contingency. PART II: Administration Total Administrative Budget $ 17,950 Art Consulting Services 17,500 Finalist Honoraria 450 TOTAL ART BUDGET $ 346,148
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