New Downtown Art: Compass Rose

[DelCamino]

I like the artwork very much.

But the proposed placement of the piece is dissappointing and wrong. Not quite 10 years ago, the City finally addressed the poorly designed and even worse maintained Bicentennial Plaza. It had become nothing short of a haven for bums, used almost soley for their latrine.

That was bad enough, but it also blocked the viewscape between the Municipal Building and the Civic Center that was always intended by the architects of the civic space. A grand lawn, so to speak. The removal of the box restored the view between the two grand buildings.

The placement of the new art with interrupt that view, once again taking away from the intended use of the lawn. The piece needs to be placed somewhere else.

[ultimatesooner]

hell, I would have built that for $250,000 and let them keep 100k

[Midtowner]

Two thumbs up to this! Thanks for the announcement Doug.



No it didn't. This is on the lawn between City Hall and the Civic Center Music Hall (Bicentennial Park).

The last rendering is a little confusing. It does appear to be city hall in the background, looking across Walker.

Sounds good.

That park is a hugely underutilized public space. Only thing I ever see going on out there is homeless folks taking naps.

[Urban Pioneer]

Sounds good.

That park is a hugely underutilized public space. Only thing I ever see going on out there is homeless folks taking naps.

Except when there's ice skating. I assume that will move to the new rink on Myriad Garden and/or the fountain in the new Central Park.

I do agree about the sight lines. When does this go to the Urban Design Commission for approval?

[metro]

Yes, UrbanPioneer, the ice rink will be permanently moved to Myriad Gardens when Project 180 starts next month. Also Shakespeare in the Park is moving to Bicentennial Park this year due to Project 180 redoing the Myriad Gardens immediately following the Arts Festival later this month.

[FritterGirl]

I like the artwork very much.

But the proposed placement of the piece is dissappointing and wrong. Not quite 10 years ago, the City finally addressed the poorly designed and even worse maintained Bicentennial Plaza. It had become nothing short of a haven for bums, used almost soley for their latrine.

That was bad enough, but it also blocked the viewscape between the Municipal Building and the Civic Center that was always intended by the architects of the civic space. A grand lawn, so to speak. The removal of the box restored the view between the two grand buildings.

The placement of the new art with interrupt that view, once again taking away from the intended use of the lawn. The piece needs to be placed somewhere else.

The placement of the piece has not been set in stone. The artist will work with the Parks Department, Project 180 team and park/landscape consultant to determine where the piece will go in the park. As has already been noted, the ice skating rink will be moved to the east side of the Myriad Botanical Gardens, adjacent to the restaurant, where the east-side parking area now is.

[Urbanized]

FritterGirl, metro mentions "the ice rink will be permanently moved to Myriad Gardens when Project 180 starts next month." Since the Myriad Gardens will be closed for construction right after the Festival of the Arts in a few weeks, does that mean there will be no downtown skating as part of Downtown in December this year? That would definitely be unfortunate.

It seems like they could delay the current skating rink's removal until after the Myriad Gardens is renovated and reopened next spring, introducing skating at the new rink in November 2011, without cancelling DID 2010 skating.

[FritterGirl]

FritterGirl, metro mentions "the ice rink will be permanently moved to Myriad Gardens when Project 180 starts next month." Since the Myriad Gardens will be closed for construction right after the Festival of the Arts in a few weeks, does that mean there will be no downtown skating as part of Downtown in December this year? That would definitely be unfortunate.

It seems like they could delay the current skating rink's removal until after the Myriad Gardens is renovated and reopened next spring, introducing skating at the new rink in November 2011, without cancelling DID 2010 skating.

I think that was just a case of metro not fully realizing that thought.

FACT = Project180 will begin next month (including the outdoor Myriad Gardens renovations)

FACT = the skating rink WILL be moved to the Gardens, and is included in the Gardens' portion of Project 180.

To my knowledge, however, the skating rink will remain intact at the CCMH for the 2010 season for DiD purposes. In 2011, it will be moved to the Gardens. I'm not certain yet how far along they are in putting together a schedule of operations. I'm pretty sure that's not quite entered into discussions yet.

Given the fact that the new skating rink will be a "permanent" location, and located adjacent to the restaurant, my GUESS AT THIS TIME is that operations will be extended BEYOND Downtown in December, weather permitting. <- Note where I said GUESS. In the warmer months, this plaza area will be an outdoor gathering space/orangerie, with a shallow reflecting water feature, similar to that at the Memorial.

Right now, everyone is focused on getting through Festival and then getting the Crystal Bridge closed (plants protected and/or removed and offices moved).

[metro]

No I realized, didn't state a year, but I see how my thoughts could have been misconstrued as moving this year. I meant after Project 180 renovations, it will be moved permanently to Myriad Gardens but remain at Bicentennial Park this year from what I can tell, but I too have not heard a timeline.

[Urbanized]

Gotcha. Thanks.

[Spartan]

I like it too. Somebody needs to hate it pretty soon though, or it doesn't count as art.

Well, I am very concerned about it blocking the view of the middle of City Hall as viewed from the Park Avenue......streetwall!!

LOL just kidding. This is great. We need more art!

[jbrown84]

But the proposed placement of the piece is dissappointing and wrong. Not quite 10 years ago, the City finally addressed the poorly designed and even worse maintained Bicentennial Plaza. It had become nothing short of a haven for bums, used almost soley for their latrine.

That was bad enough, but it also blocked the viewscape between the Municipal Building and the Civic Center that was always intended by the architects of the civic space. A grand lawn, so to speak. The removal of the box restored the view between the two grand buildings.

The placement of the new art with interrupt that view, once again taking away from the intended use of the lawn. The piece needs to be placed somewhere else.

What was this "box" you speak of? I don't see this piece as being a big impediment to the view. It's not like they're putting a building there.

[ljbab728]

What was this "box" you speak of? I don't see this piece as being a big impediment to the view. It's not like they're putting a building there.

I'm sure the box referred to is the Bicentennial Plaza. It basically was designed as a box which blocked views from all sides. It was a good idea that was not well thought out.

[jbrown84]

Hmm. I don't remember that at all. So it had walls all around it?

[ljbab728]

Hmm. I don't remember that at all. So it had walls all around it?

Yes, if I remember correctly, it was a little below ground level. You had to walk down into the main area from one of the four corners and it had walls on four sides. Those who attended the Festival of the Arts when it was still held there should remember it.

[Snowman]

Site update: Leadership Oklahoma City Inc. (who commissioned it be made) has requested a location change to the boathouse district due to how project 180 will be renovating Bicentennial Park, both the Oklahoma City Arts Commission and the Boathouse foundation have recommended the change in location. A few more levels of approval will be needed before it would be submitted to the council for a vote. If it passes it would go on the north side of 6th street, a little north of the area where the dock is for the future UCO boathouse, which would be in the center of a sort of circle drive to facilitate large vehicles turning and normal vehicles accessing the current and a future parking lot.

[Spartan]

That sounds like an absolute waste of an expensive sculpture. You could easily put that in much better locations than in the middle of a circle drive that facilitates large vehicles turning and vehicles accessing a future parking lot. Wow.

[ljbab728]

That sounds like an absolute waste of an expensive sculpture. You could easily put that in much better locations than in the middle of a circle drive that facilitates large vehicles turning and vehicles accessing a future parking lot. Wow.

That was my thought also, Spartan. There may some great location in the Boathouse area or along the river where it would be appreciated but the area described does not qualify.

[Spartan]

I think it's very typical, though. This is one of those occasions where you can really tell that the people behind the scenes downtown still suffer from chronic creativity deficiencies. And foresight deficiencies..

[Snowman]

It will still be very visible to the athletes and visitors, the staging area has been set up just south of 6th at it's location since they made the three V dock cuts and everyone not parking in the vip section will be driving by it. Granted being on the south side would have made it more likely for people to walk up to it, if the concrete base was slightly higher it could double as the awards stage.

[Doug Loudenback]

As for me, I regret very much that it will not be placed at its March 2010 and originally announced location. It could/would have been a downtown showpiece. Instead, we will apparently get what I see (based on what I've seen thus far) as sterile reshaping of the area between Walker and the Civic Center Music Hall ... might look good to architects, but it looks pretty unpeople friendly to me.

I mean, we could have had this ...





... but we're apparently going to get this ... pretty enough, but where's the people in this sterile plan ... where are they going to mingle ... where are they in the fine design?