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The Norfolk Public Art Commission and
the Passenger Rail Public Art Planning Committee seek to
commission an artist or artist team to design and create exterior artwork.
A. LOCATION/CONTEXT: Norfolk's vision for the future is to become a fully-integrated
transportation hub. Amtrak daily service will begin on the Norfolk Southern main rail line
from Norfolk to Washington D.C. traveling through Richmond in December 2012. A new
passenger train station and intermodal transfer area are being developed adjacent to
Harbor Park baseball stadium site, the Elizabeth River and Interstate 264. The Harbor Park
Passenger Rail Station will help link passenger rail to the light rail system, intercity and
regional bus systems, ferry service, cruise ship facilities, and provide direct interstate
access. This site is a vital confluence of commerce, water, city, rail, transportation,
government and business all coming together.
Norfolk is the cultural, educational, medical and business centre of the seven city Hampton
Roads area. It hosts the world's largest naval base, the region's international airport and is
one of the busiest international ports on the East Coast. Norfolk features the one main
downtown of the region. Norfolk's downtown is thriving with culture, history, festivals,
attractions and entertainment and boasts the best shopping and dining experiences in the
entire region. Through the new passenger train line Norfolk will be directly linked to
downtown Richmond and Union Station in Washington D.C.
B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Public Art Planning Committee seeks an artist to design
and create artwork that will celebrate Norfolk not only as a business and transportation hub
but as an arts and cultural destination. The artwork should orient travelers and serve as a
way finder between the train, the light rail, parking, the river, roadways and downtown. Our
goals are for the final artwork to unify, interweave and stitch the site together linking a
variety of modes of transportation and also philosophically connect the present to our hopes
and dreams for the future. The artwork will be enjoyed by train passengers, who often will
depart and leave at dark as well as be seen at all hours of the day by downtown commuters,
visitors and business people from Richmond and D.C. Baseball patrons, pedestrians, bikers,
runners, boaters and perhaps even travelers on the interstate will also experience the public
art.
C. SIZE/MEDIA/STYLE: The artwork or series of artworks should be large enough to be
seen from a distance and help orient and visually move people through the space.
Transportation, by its very nature, is full of energy and motion. This site calls for artwork that
reflects a lively, fluid, flowing sense of motion while being authentic to the character of the
Norfolk area. It must be fabricated in durable, permanent outdoor materials that are safe
and easily maintained. All artwork styles will be considered.
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