room within

room within

public art enhancements for the vta santa clara – alum rock bus rapid transit project, san jose, ca
client: valley transportation authority (vta) in conjunction with the san jose public art program

pattern concept development, community outreach and research in collaboration with corinne takara
various pattern designs in collaboration with jose pimienta
king street stations in collaboration with rick moreno
story street sb ceiling by raul delgado

materials: glass, painted aluminum, concrete w/ inlays
size: art treatment in 18 shelters, ±12×8’x8’

shelter architectsibi group
glass: triview industries
metal fabricator: magnum companies
concrete: concreteworks
photos: gary shatan, merge

eighteen bus shelter along the santa clara-alum rock bus rapid transit line received art enhancements with the goal to reinforce a coherent identity of the transit line.

the art enhancements consist of three elements – a glass wind screen, metal ceiling panels, and concrete pavers that create a distinct space within each shelter. while the details and materials of these treatments remain the same at each shelter, the patterns vary to give each shelter a unique identity. each station location i.e. north and southbound is defined by one specific color to further strengthen each station’s geographical identity on the transit line.

patterns were derived from stories and elements related to the surrounding neighborhood of each station: detailed research and intense community input helped to select topics that are sometimes historic, and other times contemporary in their reference.

for example, one of the 18 shelters derived its story from the ice arena located at close proximity to the shelter. motifs were created from a flying puck, marks left at the hockey rink after a san jose sharks game (traces on ice, puck marks on bounds), and traditional figure skating instructions.

another station derived its story from local dairies, formerly a prime industry in the area, and now mostly vanished. historic images of dairies and artifacts related to them informed these patterns.

eastbound

17th street
24th street
jackson avenue
alum rock avenue
ocala avenue

westbound

17th street
24th street
jackson avenue
alum rock avenue
ocala avenue

sublimare

sublimare

permanent installation for the new arrivals and departure plaza, terminal 2, san diego international airport, san diego, ca
light projection in collaboration w/ morgan barnard
client: san diego county regional airport authority

materials: glass, painted aluminum, light projectors
size: roadway ±800’x60’& 2 facades ±36‘x20’
glass: triview industries
metal fabricator: paragon steel
lighting components: martin lighting, els
photos: san diego airport, morgan barnard, merge
video: morgan barnard
the artwork for the new arrivals and departure plaza at the san diego international airport connects travelers to their current location – the san diego bay and the pacific ocean. two natural phenomena that occur in and around the san diego bay are the basis for the artwork: the unique giant kelp beds at point loma and the seasonal phenomenon of bioluminescence.

two distinct, but related art installations envelope the plaza: one visually enlivens the underside of the elevated departure roadway that runs alongside the plaza, the other one is located on two facades of the check-in pavilions facing the plaza.

a pattern of kelp leaves was applied to the pavilions’ façades’: the glass panes received a screen print treatment in two grades of translucency, and cut-out, painted aluminum panels were applied to the lower sections of two facades.

bioluminescence in the bay occurs due to a small marine-dwelling unicellular organism called noctilucales. these organisms produce small flashes of light stimulated by wave movement. this is the inspiration for a light projection onto the facades at night time. the projected light pattern is continuously generated from real time data drawn from a noaa buoy in the san diego bay, representing tidal motions and other wave characteristics of the bay.

a flowing pattern of kelp algae with schools of fish weaving in and out made from 1/8” painted aluminum panels are installed flat against the ceiling of the elevated departure roadway.