“MEDIC / Response” Honors and Uplifts
At daybreak, the screens rise with the sun, in front of the colorful sky
On March 21, we attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new MEDIC Headquarters in Charlotte, NC. Hosted by Mecklenburg County, this opening allowed us to see inside the state of the art emergency response facility. It is an honor to be involved in this project and it was exciting to see our public art project, “MEDIC / Response,” completed in its site in front of the new building.
The screens glow in the morning light, catching the warm light
As discussed in our previous Design Development post, the project transforms eleven concrete security barriers into shaped bases for decorative landscape screens. These weathering steel screens rise and fall across the site while carrying a cut metal circle pattering inspired by EKG displays.
The screens stand tall in their site, enlivening this side of the building
The screens were designed to complement their site, growing out of the landscape and running alongside the building. As the landscaping grows, the concrete bases will be softened and the screens will rise dramatically out of the grasses. The windows on this side of the building give the people inside the building views out onto the sculptures.
The cut metal circle patterning adds an uplifting gesture to the screens
The crisp edges of the laser cut weathering steel create a sharp series of dots across the velvety patinated surface. The materials tie the project into the landscape, rooting it to its site. The circles interact across the screens creating larger pattern movements.
The graceful gradual curve of the screens are accented by the moving dot patterning
Our trip gave us ample opportunity to document the project, taking photos at all times of day and night. Tracking the light across the site during the day allowed us to discover new and exciting qualities of the work. The project is very interactive with light and shadow, constantly changing throughout the day. Nighttime lighting covers the building in dramatic shadows projecting the circle patterns.
At night, the lighting casts patterning shadows on the building from the screens
Project Credits:
Alexandr Polzin