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The City of Suwanee is seeking professional artists and/or artist teams to submit their interest and qualifications to design public artwork for a Norfolk Southern Railway pedestrian underpass located in the city. The proposed primary location could be the interior of the tunnel itself, preferably utilizing an artistic lighting-based installation. A secondary location, either standing alone or adding to the overall presentation, could be the exterior stone paver wing-walls at the entrance and exit of the tunnel, again in using an artistic lighting-based installation. Mural art may also be considered as an enhancement to a lighting installation.

ELIGILBILITY

Open to professional public artists or artist teams, over the age of 18 who have the demonstrated ability to execute a public art project of this scale and budget. The selected artist(s) will be required to comply with the E-Verify process.

PROJECT BUDGET

The ALL-INCLUSIVE budget for this project is up to $150,000. The total budget is inclusive of ALL costs including, but not limited to, artist fee, fabrication, travel, and installation of the selected work. Additional funding may be available depending on the scope and complexity of the work, particularly if subcontracted services such as electricians, engineers, etc. will be involved.

BACKGROUND

A community of approximately 23,000 residents, The City of Suwanee is recognized as one of the premier small municipalities in the metro Atlanta area, Georgia, and the nation. Suwanee understands that quality design, focus on pedestrians, well-used public spaces, and the inclusion of features that are different, fun, and interesting are all important components of making a place dynamic and viable. Public art is a vital part of this mix. Vibrant, thriving communities across the country all have one thing in common: a strong commitment to public art. Public art has become an important piece of what Suwanee does, who Suwanee is, and how Suwanee is viewed.

Suwanee launched its public art initiative in 2008 with the formation of the City Council-appointed Public Arts Commission (PAC), established to create programs that bring and promote public art in Suwanee, and to work with and encourage developers to use one percent of construction costs to include public art or support public art as a component of new projects.

In 2011 the first ‘SculpTour’ exhibit, a recurring temporary sculpture exhibition, was launched. The 2022 exhibit marks the seventh installment of the public art encounter that has brought over 100 sculptures to a walkable one-mile area of downtown Suwanee. Additionally, we have over 20 permanent pieces located in various parks throughout the city. In 2015, the city partnered with an urban designer and planner to facilitate the development of a public art master plan. This plan set a vision and 10-year strategy that would help take public art in Suwanee to the next level.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Norfolk Southern Corporation Railroad (NSC) bisects the City of Suwanee. In 2009, a tunnel was built beneath the railroad to provide pedestrian connectivity between two main parks. The city would like to add public art within the tunnel to help strengthen the visual connection between Suwanee’s Town Center Park and our new park- expansion project, Town Center on Main, and our historic downtown district, both of which are located on the other side of the railroad. NSC owns the bridge/tracks over the tunnel and therefore must ensure that any project we consider will not impact the structural integrity and safety of the tunnel itself. The artist/group selected for this project will be expected to work closely with the City of Suwanee and NSC to that end.

The tunnel is approximately 62 feet long and 13 feet wide. The interior walls are very rough in texture; constructed of shotcrete (sprayed concrete). Electricity and safety lighting currently extends the full length of the tunnel, running lengthwise down the middle of the ceiling. The wing-walls that surround the entrance and exit of the tunnel are constructed of pavers which cover an area of approximately 161 square feet (each side).

ART PROPOSAL OPTIONS

The city is open to artistic lighting-based projects, mural art, sculpture, interactive arts, or a combination of media. The overall integrity of the underlying structure must not be compromised and the art should cause no unreasonable safety concerns for visitors. Additionally, the installation should be sustainable and as unaffected by the elements as possible. The tunnel is outdoors and exposed to water, heat, and cold. Some run-off water occurs inside the tunnel, and the walls may be damp from time to time.

Suwanee envisions design concepts that will be inviting, fun, unique, and interactive, while evoking curiosity and interest – something worthy of a million Instagram posts.

• Option #1 – Install art to the interior of the pedestrian tunnel only. Close up shows interior surface. Light, mural, etc.
• Options #2 or #3 - Two wing-walls at the entrance and exit of the tunnel. The final art may include the tunnel + complementary art such as a mural, sculpture, or other feature on one (or both) of the archways into the tunnel. Each of the paver walls is an area of approximately 161 square feet.

For full project info please see the commission document linked above.

See below for reference photos: