Client: ODS, Inc. (now Moda Health)
Location: Bend, OR, United States
Completion date: 2009
Artwork budget: $35,000
Project Team
Artist
Alex Hirsch
Alex Hirsch Art
Art Consultant
Ray Ahlgren
Fireart Glass
Architect
GBD Architects
GBD Architects
Industry Resource
Jeff Wallin
Fireart Glass
Overview
Ridge to River offers my interpretation of the natural environment around Bend, Oregon. The fused glass motifs were inspired by the local basalt formations, the coloration of the area’s sky and flora, and the movement of the Deschutes River that runs through the local area. Measuring 98” x 68” x .6”, the composition works with the doors closed or open. The doors give way to a white board and additional cabinetry. The glass has visual depth while concealing the functional items beyond. Heavy hardware insures slow and deliberate operation of the doors.
Goals
The doors are the focal point of this finely appointed boardroom. They are integral to the functions and aesthetics of the space. Early in the construction of the building, the architecture firm GBD recommended me to their client, ODS Inc. (now Moda Health) to create art glass that doubled as a central artwork and sliding doors. I won the commission to develop the concept, imagery, and completed artwork. Simultaneously, I was also hired to design an etched glass wall for an adjacent conference room. It was important that these two projects complement one another while being distinctly different. The building has views of a gorgeous area; it was critical to me that I enhance, rather than mimic, what could be enjoyed out the windows.
Process
I walked the site early in the construction phase with the Moda board, architects, and subcontractors. We assessed the culture of the building’s users and the layout of the future building. I also coordinated information on the technical capacity of my fabricator, and attending costs, with the desired design specifications of the architects; ultimately, the architects took my recommendation to modify the final dimensions of the doors. GBD provided me with their interior design decisions and the hanging system for the doors. I worked with my fabricator on design development, execution, and delivery.
Additional Information
I created a glass painting with a highly practical application. My task was also to create imagery that the local employees could appreciate while offering an enduring image for the sophisticated users of the space. For the fabricators and architects, it was new to achieve heavy art doors suspended from a hanging mechanism.