Client: Kettler: Metropolitan
Location: Columbia, MD, United States
Completion date: 2015
Artwork budget: $425,000
Project Team
Artist
Mary Ann Mears
Landscape Architect
Brian Reetz
Design Collective
Client
Kevin Peterkin
Kettler
Overview
14 Sculptures in a park 400' x 100' Painted Aluminum, Stainless Steel ranging in height from 2' to 28.' Sculpture is interactive, some pieces move in the wind, others incorporate light, there is an interactive water feature under the tall wind pieces.
Goals
Running along the front of a mixed-use development, the park-like site is intended to be interactive for children and families while serving as landmark for the project. The inspiration for the forms is the tulip poplar. Abstracted petal forms are used at various scale from very small “petals of thought” scattered across the site to freely rotating large petals with seedpods on top of tall poles. Petals are stretched and twisted to form slides and other structures that children can climb over and under
Process
Community engagement through the Howard County Arts Council was essential in conceptualizing the project. Kettle, the developer and Design Collective, the architect and landscape architect were close collaborators. For example, when I wanted to have petal slides leaning against an earth form, the landscape architect made that possible.