CALL FOR ARTISTS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

ISSUED MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

 

 

 

ASC Public Art Program

Multiple Public Art opportunities                                                      

(The complete RFQ, including images can be found at https://www.artsandscience.org/resources-for/artists/calls-to-artists/)

 

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Terminal Lobby Expansion (CLT TLE)

Charlotte, North Carolina

 

An Arts & Science Council project

for the City of Charlotte and

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

 

 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 2018 by 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. Applications will be received via (https://asc.slideroom.com), an online application system. There is no fee to submit qualifications.

 

 

 

SUMMARY

Arts & Science Council (ASC) is accepting qualifications from professional artists and professional artist teams for multiple original and site-specific art commissions as part of the Terminal Lobby Expansion (TLE) Public Art Program at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). 

PROJECT BACKGROUND

CLT’s main terminal lobby will be expanded to the north to create additional space for security lanes, ticketing and baggage claim areas, as well as 370,000’-sq. of increased circulation space to accommodate the rapid growth CLT has experienced in recent years which has put a strain on the original terminal. Architect’s Gresham, Smith & Partners (GS&P) have designed a new lobby that will feature a soaring 150,000’-sq. glass canopy covering the entire elevated roadway at the terminal curbside and Raymond Kaskey’s iconic bronze statue of the City’s namesake, Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The artwork was commissioned by a private group of local arts patrons and donated to CLT Airport in 1990. In 2013, the artwork was moved to a temporary location north of the terminal until the lobby expansion project is complete, at which time it will be relocated to a new and permanent home in the newly renovated lobby at baggage/arrivals level.

For more information about the CLT Terminal Lobby Expansion project, including a brief video overview, please visit: https://www.greshamsmith.com/projects/charlotte-douglas-international-airport-(clt). Do not attempt to contact GS&P regarding the CLT TLE RFQ as you will be redirected to ASC’s Program Director of Public Art, CLT (please see contact section on page-8).

 

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY 

This call is open to all professional artists in the U.S. and internationally. Eligible applicants must have successfully completed at least one prior art commission (public or private) within the past five years with a budget representing at least 40% of the TLE project area identified in applicant’s letter of interest—please see “TO APPLY” section for more information. For a TLE project area with a $500,000 budget, for example, eligible artists must have completed at least one original art commission with a total associated budget of no less than $200,000 by the time of RFQ submittal. Please note: This last criterion does not apply to “Integrated Floor Art” commissions, for which there is no threshold budget requirement for past completed projects. 

Architects interested in applying must have successfully completed at least three (3) public art projects that are distinguished from infrastructure design within the last five (5) years to be considered eligible to participate in this opportunity. Eligibility must be demonstrated in the application materials submitted. Artist teams must demonstrate prior experience designing and executing completed public art projects as the team described in the applicant’s submittal.

Applicants who have received a commission or purchase from ASC for over $25,000.00 cannot be considered for another commission or purchase for another 3 years after the date of a signed contract or letter of agreement. ASC staff, County or City staff, Public Art Commission members or their immediate families, are not eligible to apply for this project. 

PROJECT BUDGET

A total budget of $3,390,000.00 has been allocated to commission multiple site-specific and permanent artworks to be integrated into the Terminal Lobby Expansion project. Individual project budgets vary in structure and scope depending on the scale and location of each opportunity.

All budgets listed in this RFQ fully include artist-design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, storage, transportation and installation of the artwork on site with the following exception: artists receiving commissions for “Integrated Floor Art” will be paid a one-time design fee not to exceed $30,000.00. Fabrication and installation of the Integrated Floor Art project areas and associated costs will be managed as part of a separate budget by ASC staff working in close collaboration each commissioned artist, project architects and general-/sub-contractors.

The Public Art opportunities advertised in this RFQ are funded by CLT’s enterprise fund, a fixed percentage of which is allocated toward public art commissions at the airport as mandated by the City of Charlotte Public Art Ordinance, adopted in 2003. The CLT Airport enterprise fund is sustained by airport user and vendor fees and does not make any use of tax payer dollars.

ART PROGRAM SCOPE AND LOCATIONS

The CLT TLE Public Art Program is comprised of 6-7 opportunities for permanent integrated artworks, each with differing budgets dependent on the projects’ respective size, prominence of location, and anticipated material and fabrication needs. The final project locations and scopes identified in the RFQ will be determined by ASC in close collaboration with CLT Airport and the project design team, with careful consideration of input from the selected artists or artist teams.

Please refer to the individual project descriptions below for a more complete understanding of the various TLE art project areas, objectives and associated budgets.

1)    Suspended Artwork at Ticketing/Departures Level, Pre-Security [see Figs 1-2].

Budget: $1,725,000.00 1 artist or artist team.

Dimensions: To-Be-Determined (x2 potential locations).

Opportunity for large-scale, signature artwork suspended from the ceiling of the Terminal Lobby at the East, and potentially West wings of pre-TSA check passenger circulation. The artwork will be accessible by ticketed customers and the general public alike. The primary goals of this opportunity are:

• To create a signature artwork for CLT Airport and the City of Charlotte public art collection.
• Support wayfinding goals of CLT Airport and Terminal Lobby Expansion plan.
• Equally effective both day and night; effectively engage multiple sightlines including exterior views furnished by floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls at location.
• Designed specifically for the airport environment and in consideration of specific architectural features, anticipated programming & uses, and general character of TLE.
• Artist may engage designated areas at both East and West Wings of Lobby, or chose to focus primarily on the East Wing. In either case the artwork may not significantly obscure or obstruct the views of Charlotte’s “Uptown” City skyline furnished by glass curtain wall at East Wing.

The Suspended Artwork commission will be awarded to one applicant, with an associated budget not to exceed $1,725,000.00—inclusive of all design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, storage, transportation and installation of artwork on site at location.

2)    Integrated Floor Art at Ticketing and Baggage Levels (Terrazzo) & surfaces of Pedestrian Bridges [see Figs 1-4].

Artist Design fee: $30,000.00 per artist (no less than 2, maximum 3 artists to be commissioned for the opportunities described below).

Dimensions: TBD (up to x3 designated floor areas on multiple levels).

An exciting opportunity to contribute a memorable design motif to be integrated into the refurbished lobby floors at both Ticketing (Departures) and Baggage (Arrivals) Levels, with a potential third opportunity to engage the surfaces and underside of two Pedestrian Bridges that will connect Terminal Lobby to Daily Parking Decks. Artists will be restricted to pre-designated areas of the general floorplan. The primary goals of this project area are to assist customer wayfinding and to enrich the overall customer experience in a surprising and readily accessible way. 2-3 artists will be selected to design for corresponding project areas that include:

1. Opportunity 2A): Ticketing Level terrazzo designs [Figs 1-2] (Total surface area TBD). Artist designs will be restricted to the darker “banded areas” indicated on the accompanying concept renderings on pages 9-12 of the RFQ. Please note the precise design and available square footage of this opportunity are currently in design development stages.

• Opportunity 2B): Artist-designed elements (pavers or embedded materials suitable for a semi-exterior environment) to be installed in the surfaces and underside of two Pedestrian Bridges [Fig. 3]. Both Bridges present a semi-exterior environment that will be covered by a large glass canopy designed to shield traffic, but will allow direct sunlight to filter through year-round.
• Opportunity 3C) Baggage Level terrazzo to include one “medallions” at each entry/exit portal [Fig. 4] for a total of 4 medallions.

All commissioned artists for Integrated Floor Art will be paid a design fee totaling $30,000.00 for their respective project areas. Fabrication and installation of terrazzo and associated costs will be managed by ASC working in close collaboration with commissioned artists, project architects, general contractors and CLT management as part of a separate budget.

3)    Domestic Arrivals / Welcome Wall at Arrivals Level, Post-Security [see Figs 5-6].

Budget: $550,000.00 x1 artist

Dimensions: TBD

This is an opportunity for a 2-Dimensional mural or 3-Dimensional applied wall art / frieze installation intended to greet domestic passengers before they descend to the Baggage Level to either exit the airport or await their luggage. The commissioned artist will create a strong visual presence to engage the end walls of two symmetrical, vertically oriented-elevator wells. The primary goals of this opportunity are:

• To establish a strong, yet welcoming visual presence that celebrates domestic travelers’ journey.  
• To assist with customer wayfinding experience by guiding travelers down symmetrical escalator wells toward Baggage Level and the Terminal Lobby exit portals.

The Domestic Arrivals Welcome Wall commission will be awarded to one applicant, with an associated budget not to exceed $550,000.00—inclusive of all artist design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, storage, transportation and installation of artwork on site at location.

4)    International Arrivals / Welcome Wall [see Fig. 7]

Budget: $525,000.00 x 1 artist.

Dimensions: ~50’L x 8’H (Welcome Wall)

Column cladding scope and area TBD.

2-Dimensional mural or 3-Dimensional applied wall art / frieze opportunity at end of FIS corridor; Potential for art application on adjacent support columns. The message “welcome to charlotte” shown in the image represents preliminary design goals and is not a literal representation of the desired final artwork. However, this opportunity does represent a great opportunity for text based artworks, or artists that incorporate text into their work as evidenced by submitted portfolio of works. Goals for this location are as follows:

• To establish a strong, yet welcoming visual presence that celebrates international travelers’ arrival to Charlotte, North Carolina and the surrounding region.
• To reinforce TLE wayfinding plan by marking transition from FIS corridor to TLE Baggage/Arrivals Level.
• Please note: Artistic applications of text or messaging is welcome however this area does not require a literal “Welcome to Charlotte” message (the text in the accompanying figure is a conceptual placeholder and not a design requirement).

The International Arrivals Welcome Wall commission will be awarded to one artist, with an associated budget not to exceed $525,000.00—inclusive of all artist design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, storage, transportation and installation of artwork on site at location.

5)    Subterranean Walkways [see fig.8]

Budget: $500,000.00 x 1 artist

Dimensions: 100’L x 9’-0”H (x2 locations) and 20’L x 9’-0”H (x2 locations)

2-Dimensional mural or 3-Dimensional applied wall art for two underground walkways connecting daily parking decks to terminal lobby (via elevator back up). There are two art wall locations per walkway, totaling four art wall locations for the entire opportunity.  

• Alleviate underground/tunnel feeling of program area using creative artistic applications.
• Potential artistic strategies for this location may include but are not limited introducing a theme or impression of the outdoors, nature, or panoramic landscape(s); abstract or geometric works are welcomed as well.
• Contribute to a calming and welcoming environment for pedestrians.

The Subterranean Walkway commission will be awarded to one artist, with an associated budget not to exceed $500,000.00—inclusive of all artist design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, storage, transportation and installation of artwork on site.

 

TLE ART PROGRAM GOALS

The art opportunities described in the TLE RFQ have been carefully programmed by ASC in close coordination with project architects Gresham, Smith & Partners and DAS Architecture. The TLE Public Art Program has been conceived to function seamlessly within a comprehensive wayfinding masterplan and the unique context of daily airport operations. Additionally, the program intends to show sensitivity to the presence and history of Kaskey’s Queen Charlotte, which has become an iconic figure for the City of Charlotte and nearly synonymous with the airport itself.

The overall goals of the TLE Art Program are to enhance the customer experience and support overall customer utilization, programming and wayfinding plans associated with the Terminal Lobby Expansion. While the program has no specific theme, extensive discussion with design team members and project stakeholders have yielded the following concepts that may be considered by commissioned artists:

 

•           Aviation/Flight.

•           Textiles/historic regional milling industry.

•           Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Charlotte’s nickname as the “Queen City”.

•           Local and Regional histories, industries and crafting traditions.

•           Local/Regional flora & fauna.

•           Travels, journeys, voyaging.

•           Joy/wonder/whimsy.

•           Southern Hospitality.

•           Elegant yet accessible.

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