I was commissioned to design
a bus shelter in collaboration with two 6th grade art classes at Doolen
Middle School for the Oak Flower neighborhood in Tucson, AZ.
Over an 8-week period, I worked with the students on a series of projects
that highlighted the entire process of creating a public artwork, from
brainstorming sessions to selection of materials, to ADA and safety requirements.
The form of the bus shelter is a distillation of ideas generated through
a design charrette where teams of 5 students created models. During the
critique process, the best design ideas were identified and integrated
into one final design.
The shelter was fabricated by local metalworker Tom McNeil, who came
to Doolen Middle school to talk to the students about his work, the fabricating
process, and to help the students evaluate their designs. |
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At the request of the neighborhood,
the lights on the bus shelter are solar-powered. It is lit by strips
of white LEDs, which illuminate the panels at night, and create a safe
spot to wait for the bus. |
The bus shelter has two panels, each designed by one class. Since the
neighborhood wanted a bus shelter that would also work as a welcome sign
into the neighborhood, we took the neighborhood's name, Oak Flower, as
our starting point. We came up with a long list of things that could
be found in an oak tree, including leaves, acorns,
flowers, kites, cats, snakes, birdhouses, and a beehive. Each student then designed one element for the
tree, starting with a sketch, and refining the design through cut paper
so that it could be fabricated in laser-cut steel without creating a
safety hazard, and still read as the intended shape. |
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