The Charles Street Reconstruction Project includes new travel/parking pavement, sidewalk repavement, new curbs, signage, replanting of trees, new crosswalks, bike lanes, etc. on Charles Street between 25th Street and University Parkway. The most extensive of the planned renovation is proposed between 33rd Street and just north of 34th Street. An artist has been commissioned to engage the plaza being created on the east side of Charles between 33rd & 34th Streets with an artwork that is integrated into the landscape site work.
This piece, Optical Gardens, by Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan, an artist team from Seattle, Washington, is currently being install now and over the next few months, with a potential project completion date of August 2014. Optical Gardens is conceived as a platform that gives expression to unique natural and cultural characteristics of Charles Village, including its culture, community, built environment, natural environment, climate, and seasons.
Baltimore artist (and 2014 Sondheim Semifinalist) Sebastian Montorana was contracted to carve the “season rooms” and can be seen in pictures on site installing these elements.
