Glenwood_Canyon_I-70

Call for Artists/Request for Qualifications

Public Art at new Interstate – 70 Underpass, Vail, Colorado

Call summary:

The Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) invites professional artists to submit their qualifications and images of previously integrated public art projects for consideration at Vail’s new Interstate – 70 (I-70) Underpass. The total budget is $335,000 to commission public art for this project. AIPP has identified potential locations for this project including, but not limited to pedestrian railing design, a mural location, and a headlight glare screen.  The selected artist(s) will work closely with the designers and Town of Vail design teams to create a cohesive pedestrian and vehicular experience where art complements design.

At an elevation of 8,150 feet, Vail is a popular year-round destination boasting 5,289 acres of skiable terrain. Annually, approximately 1.6 million people visit our world-class mountain resort community during the winter season and 1.2 million in the spring, summer and fall seasons. Vail offers a combination of recreational and cultural amenities with an abundance of luxury and boutique accommodations, restaurants, spas, shops, and multiple events throughout the year.

I-70 underpass project background:

In the early 1980s discussions began to explore an additional multi-modal I-70 underpass to enhance community connectivity and traffic flow between the Main Vail and West Vail highway exits. However it was not until 1993 that the idea went thru a public process as a part of the Vail Transportation Master Plan (VTMP). As a direct result of the VTMP the underpass was nicknamed the Simba Run Underpass due to its namesake location, the Simba Run Condominiums. From that point forward it became a common theme in numerous Vail Master Plans, including; the Vail Lionshead Master Plan (1999), the Vail 20/20 Strategic Vision Plan (2007), and the Vail Transportation Master Plan Update (2009), as well as being listed in the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) long range Statewide Improvement Plans since 1996 and a part of the CDOT I-70 PEIS ROD.

The project is now known as the I-70 Vail Underpass and recently received joint funding for Design and Construction from the Town of Vail via the Vail Reinvestment Authority and CDOT via RAMP funds.

Site description:

The location of the I-70 Vail Underpass will provide access to the frontage roads between the existing Main Vail and West Vail roundabout underpass interchanges. Please see the following website for additional information about the project and an interpretive 3D video:

http://www.vailgov.com/projects/new-i-70-vail-underpass

The landscape concept plan for the project may be accessed at:

http://www.vailgov.com/docs/dl_forms/Landscape_Presentation.pdf

Artwork Criteria:

  • Quality and Innovation: The consideration of highest priority is the inherent artistic excellence and innovation of the artwork.
  • Timelessness: Each artwork should be viewed as a long-term acquisition that should have relevance aesthetically to the community in future years. Due to the high visibility of public art by residents and guests who frequent public places, artworks should be selected that reflect enduring artistic quality.
  • Compatibility with Site: Works of art should be compatible in style, scale, material, form, and content with their surroundings, and should form an overall relationship with the site.
  • Permanence: Works of art shall have structural and surface soundness, and be resistant to theft, vandalism, and weathering. Artworks shall not require excessive maintenance or repair costs. Artworks that require frequent maintenance are discouraged.
  • Public Safety: Artwork shall not create inordinate safety problems or liability problems for the general public or Town of Vail.

Artwork Locations

  • Potential areas include, but are not limited to pedestrian railing design, a mural location, and a headlight glare screen.
  • Possible locations may be seen within the 3D video (see above link) as follows:

Railing Design: Pedestrian railing viewed at timeframe 1min 15 sec

Mural Location: Stone wall north of north roundabout at time frame 2min 2sec

Headlight Glare Screen: South edge of south roundabout at timeframe 1 min 22sec

Artist Qualification Submittal Materials

  • Letter of interest indicating your vision and approach for the project (limit two pages).
  • A professional resume/CV with qualifications (limit two pages).
  • Three professional references with current contact information from completed or current projects.
  • Visual support materials of previous work (10 images max) – cds, prints, website, jpegs (not to exceed 8 MB). If your flies are too large, you may also send via dropbox or another similar means.
  • Please note that ZIP files are not accepted.
  • Annotated image list to accompany any submitted images.
  • Mailed materials will not be returned without a self-addressed stamped envelope.

If submitting as an artist team, the team must submit a resume for each team member.

Budget:

  • The total budget for the project is $335,000.*
  • *10% of total budget will be allocated for the headlight glare screen.
  • Budget is inclusive of all artist’s fees, travel, design, insurance, permits, fabrication, labor, and installation.

Anticipated Timeline:

  • Deadline for entry: October 15, 2015

The Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places Board will review previous work submitted by artists and their criteria for qualifications. Artists whose work would be of further interest will be contacted.

Contact:

Materials may be emailed to: artinvail@vailgov.com. The subject must read I-70 Vail Underpass.

Materials may be mailed to:

Art in Public Places Coordinator

Town of Vail

1309 Elkhorn Drive

Vail, CO 81657

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