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City of Denver: Stapleton Library Denver Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program–Stapleton Branch Library 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 1007 Denver, CO 80202 BACK TO PARTICIPATING CALLS CONTACT EVENT |
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REQUIREMENTS: Images: 8 View Site Details Denver Public Library – Stapleton Branch Library Denver Public Libraries: Statement With the passage of the 2007 Better Denver Bond Program, the City and County of Denver is undertaking over 175 projects to improve, preserve, renovate and build new roads, libraries, parks, hospitals, public safety facilities, cultural facilities and more. Recent growth in Denver's residential and business communities has created gaps in Denver Public Library's ability to serve all the people of Denver. Accordingly, the City of Denver and Denver Public Libraries (DPL) are in the process of designing a new library in Stapleton in order to provide essential library services for the residents of this part of the City. The new branch is envisioned to be a library of the twenty-first century, incorporating the latest in library technology, including, but not limited to; patron self check, wireless computer access and an automated handling system. It will serve as a community anchor and a location for social networking and learning. The spaces inside will be open and flexible to suit the changing needs of the facility. Stapleton is Denver's premier sustainable community, with hundreds of home designs, shops, restaurants, offices and Central Park, the city's largest new park. The Stapleton community features five maturing neighborhoods, folded into the mix of the classic neighborhoods of Denver. They all feature their own unique amenities, such as parks, pools, schools and shops. Stapleton is the largest community in Colorado and one of the largest master-planned communities in the United States to have 100% builder participation in the ENERGY STAR program. Denver Public Library and Design Team Vision: The Stapleton Library will be the first branch library that synthesizes DPL’s innovative “Children’s and Family” and “Contemporary” styles into one library. The former style focuses on kids coming to the library to explore on their own and on parents or caregivers coming to the library to explore and interact with their children. This branch will focus on the needs of a technology-enabled adult demographic. The design team has tapped the local community to participate in the design of their new Library. The community message was that the Stapleton Library needed an emphasis on community gathering, have a civic presence, be a comfortable place, and to take stylistic cues from more of the traditional architecture in the community rather then the nearby, modern styles of the Town Center. The 28,000 square foot building is located on a corner site in the New Urbanism design- inspired Stapleton community. The L-shaped building intentionally reinforces the street edge and is envisioned to be transparent to allow a “window” into the activities of the library. Site conditions require the design to have dual building entries from the street and from the rear parking area. The entries are connected with a sweeping, sheltering curved roof structure that becomes the “front porch” for the community. A continuous light monitor extends east and west along the length of the building which provides pools of natural daylight into the central part of the building, organizes the various program elements inside and creates a highly visible community beacon. The library will be organized into different areas that support different user demographics and needs. Near the entry will be the most energized area where adults and young adults seeking popular materials and stimulation and interaction with others will want to go. Another area will offer open, flexible interior spaces which combine adult’s and children’s collections around “discovery pods” designed for shared learning. A community living room will offer a quieter reading area near the adult non-fiction collection. Public access computers will include areas for individual and shared computer use, as well as family computing to allow parallel use by parents and children. There will be a variety of gathering spaces offered, from four person study rooms to a sub-dividable 100-seat community room. At a minimum, the facility will achieve LEED-NC (New Construction) Silver Certification and Energy Star status. This objective will reinforce Denver Public Library’s desire to be leaders in the community, and an example of sustainable practices. Public Art Opportunities for Stapleton Library The selection panel for this project will not be designating specific areas where artwork could be incorporated and featured. However, the panel is looking for an artist or team of artists with experience with early integration practices and experience working collaboratively with a project design team. The panel has expressed a strong desire to create a lasting, timeless signature artwork which integrates into the building. It was suggested that “no surface is sacred” in this building and that an artist should feel open to explore the interior and exterior space, though there is a strong desire for an interior piece which could be visible from the exterior, inviting people to enter the building. The building will have an abundance of natural light and there is a desire for an artist to utilize the light and work with the natural luminescence inside and outside of the building in an enticing and meaningful way. The artwork should also address the high level of energy in the Stapleton community and the library itself. There is interest in artwork that is interactive and educational, if possible. The selection panel seeks artwork that will be appropriate for a library and serves a diverse community of all ages. Artwork in this setting is expected to be durable and easily maintained. Selection Process A project Selection Panel of at least seven individuals (community members, project managers and design team members, artists, arts professionals and members of the Public Art Committee and Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs) reviews the site and determines the project parameters. Up to five artists (or artist teams) will be short-listed as semi-finalists and asked to return for an interview or to prepare a proposal. Semi-finalists will receive more specific information regarding the site and will have the opportunity to meet with City officials and selection members. Because of the desire for early integration with this project, semi-finalists will receive an honorarium of $750-1,250 to prepare and present a broad conceptual proposal. There will be an opportunity for the semi-finalists to come to Denver and conduct a site visit. Semi-finalists will be expected to pay for all proposal expenses, including travel and per diem, from the honorarium. From the interviews/proposals, the artist(s) will be selected for this commission. The final recommendation of the Selection Panel will be presented to the Public Art Subcommittee, the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs and Mayor John Hickenlooper for final approval. Approvals may take up to four weeks. All decisions of the City and County of Denver are final. Other Requirements The artist or artist team selected and approved by the Project Selection Panel shall be required to enter into a contract with the City and County of Denver for the entire duration of the project. The artist will need to obtain insurance as required by the City. Applying for the Stapleton Branch Library Public Art Project Please read this section carefully. Incomplete applications will NOT be considered, without exception. All materials must be submitted online, via the CaFÉ™ web site (www.callforentry.org). There is no application fee to apply or to use the CaFÉ™ online application system. The applicant’s name must appear on all materials submitted. Digital Images—In order to be considered for this project, the applicant must electronically submit eight digital images of previously completed artworks through the CaFÉ™ system. Artists who wish to submit kinetic, sound or media works must submit a complete CaFÉ™ application including eight still images and written materials and then send an additional DVD of no more than five minutes to: Denver Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program–Stapleton Branch Library 201 W. Colfax Ave., Dept. 1007 Denver, CO 80202 Instructions on how to format images to CaFÉ™ specifications can be found at http://www.callforentry.org/imaging_tips.phtml. Assistance in using the CaFÉ™ system is available during regular business hours by calling 303-629-1166 or 1-888-562-7232, or e-mail cafe@westaf.org. If an artist does not have access to a computer, s/he may call 720-865-4308 to make arrangements to use a computer at the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs. Statement of Interest—A statement of interest that briefly outlines your interest in this unique project and experience working on projects of this kind (500 word/2,000 character maximum) should be submitted via CaFÉ™. Résumé—Submit a one- to two-page current résumé, via CaFÉ™, that highlights your professional accomplishments as an artist. Please name your résumé file accordingly: Last name. First initial (i.e. Smith.J.doc). Résumés over two pages will not be downloaded. If applying as a team, please submit a one- to two-page résumé per team member. Can a team Apply? Applicant(s) may apply as a single artist or multi-person collaboration. Please identify your team members in your artist statement. Budget The budget for this commission is approximately $85,000 which will be allocated to the artist/team selected by the selection panel. This contract amount is inclusive of all costs associated with the project including, but not limited to: the artist’s design fee, other consultation fees such as structural engineering, insurance (including Colorado Workers Compensation), small tools, materials, fabrication, transportation and installation, including any building or site modification required, travel to and from the site, per diem expenses, project documentation, contingency to cover unexpected expenses and any other costs of any kind. Tentative Time Line (Except for online application deadline, timeline is subject to adjustments): March 12, 2010 Deadline for Entry (via CaFÉ™ system) March 4, 2010 Pre-Submission Meeting/Site Visit March 22, 2010 Semi-finalist Selection April 2010 Finalist Selection May 2010 Finalist Notification Pre-Submission Meeting Additional information about the Stapleton Branch Library project and application procedures will be provided during a pre-submission meeting on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. We will meet in the Wellington Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., room 6.G.7. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please RSVP by emailing brooke.jones@denvergov.org, or calling 720-865-4302. We will update information about this project and the pre-submission meeting on our web site: www.denvergov.org/publicart. Eligibility Denver’s Public Art program is open to all artists regardless of race, color, creed, gender, gender variance, national origin, age, religion, marital status, political opinion or affiliation or mental or physical handicap. Artists working in any media are eligible to apply. Maintenance and Durability Public art projects are in the public realm and may therefore be exposed to weather, physical stresses and subject to vandalism. Public art projects should be fabricated of highly durable, low-maintenance materials. Semi-finalists are encouraged to consult with a professional conservator prior to the submission of a final proposal. Artists’ proposals awarded contracts will be reviewed by the City of Denver’s Public Art Committee and the Department of Construction and Engineering to ensure conformity with City standards of maintenance and durability. All finalists are expected to stay on budget and to complete work in an approved time frame. |
