Client: Metropolitan Community College – Culinary Arts Institute

Overview

The sculpture “Enrichment Path” represents the lifelong quality learning environment that promotes student success at Omaha’s Metropolitan Community College. Designed for the newly constructed Culinary Art Building, the sculpture is circular in nature, encompassing colorful panels of acrylic, representative of the variety of educational opportunities available through the college.

Goals

Metropolitan Community College is constantly growing and to expand on their ideas and goals, they commissioned Matthew Placzek to design "Enrichment Path" to promote student success and the expanding modern campus. The main steel sculpture is the anchor of the work, and the solid base upon which the college creates the quality learning opportunities and environment it is well known for. The many services that support personal and professional enrichment, embody the colorful acrylic panels. Color is an important element that creates a visually pleasing and positive experience for the viewing public. People can relate and identify with the ever-changing nature of the colorful display. The steel ribbon is a flowing symbol of the programs offered at the school, which provide a transferable path not only to other baccalaureate institutions, but also to the businesses that the college supports. The flowing ribbon, or path, is an important element that connects the community to the college. Each learning institution is an integral part of the thriving growing community.

Process

To promote the grand opening of their new Culinary Arts Building, Metropolitan Community College and Matthew Placzek realized the piece "Enrichment Path". Using modern materials and ideas, Matthew worked with the fabricator to plan and fabricate each piece, including the main steel structure, the steel ribbon, and the circular steel frame that holds the individual acrylic panels.