Client: Tenent Hospital

Location: El Paso, TX, United States

Completion date: 2018

Artwork budget: $200,000

Project Team

Architect

Warren Pope

Warren Pope Design

Architect

Thomas Miller

Design TM

Industry Resource

Jessica Kelso

Polymershapes

Industry Resource

Associated Machine and Fabrication

Artist

Koryn Rolstad

Overview

Aluminum base posts, main posts and cages, structural acrylic panels. Two sites for 58 tree forms – set in front of the hospital entryway roundabout and at the Gateway entry from the roadway to the parking lot. Two layers of ‘Arrow’ tree forms designed to represent the Desert Flora, Latin culture with the colors, and the historical ancient cultures.

Goals

The project is a Gateway identity that represents the mixed culture of the community of El Paso and allows for a visual fun and colorful experience for the families and children visiting this important public service. Note that the Providence hospital is set at the edge of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), which boasts one of the largest pubic art collections in the US including ‘Mandala Sunrise’ by KRS installed in 2014.

Process

KRS was contacted by Tenet Health because of the Mandala Sunrise Project and their close proximity to UTEP (Univ. of Texas at El Paso). The new children's wing and landscape entry needed a gateway identity and KRS developed a project that was set in 2 sites - the entry driveway in front of the hospital and the Gateway entry at the parking lot. KRS and the committee developed an identity that tied the Latin Culture and the desert flora with the ancient first nation history to find a balance for the visual language that would connect all parts of this diverse community.

Additional Information

This project is one of my favorites for many reasons since it is only about 2 miles away from Mandala Sunrise and allows me to connect two of my most important projects for the State of Texas and for the University. I am allowed to use color, shape and forms to identify a culture and also entertain young people and families who have to use this very important healthcare service.