austin public skatepark action committee

The Art in Public Places component of the House Park Skate Plaza has made some forward progress in the city process. Earlier this week, the Art in Public Places Panel approved the design concepts that Chris Levack has proposed for the public skate plaza. The designs have been met with support by city staff, the public art panel members, project team and stakeholders. Once approved by the Arts Commission (expected on November 17, 2008), Levack will be placed under a commission contract to fabricate and install the work.

Chris has already completed several art installations around Austin. Two of his art pieces can be seen at the Mueller Redevelopment and his shade canopies are enjoyed daily by shoppers dining outside at the Whole Foods at Lamar and 5th Street.

Here is a narrative that describes his vision for these installations at the House Park Skate Plaza:

Final Design Narrative and Budget: BMX/Skate Park, Chris Levack

Trilobite Arbors:
The Trilobite arbors will consist of a combination of rolled angle iron, straight T iron members, a wooden ipe slat system, treated lumber as a nailer base system and a small amount of 1/2″ hammered round iron stock as accent. Angles are predicted to be 5×8″ and the straight T’s 8x 12″. These may vary as it gets it out of engineering. Ipe dimensions will be made up of a majority of 5/4×6″ ripped down the middle to a 2 and 5/8 x 1″ actual slat dimension. Each line in the first drawing represents an ipe slat attached to the iron skeleton. This arbor will be two of these trilobite patterns, resting on 7 6×6 steel tube pillars. These will have holes cut out for j box assembly and electricity (lights). See second attached drawing for placement. One arbor will stand 18″ higher than its counterpart and will share one pillar where the two corners meet.
The pillars will be welded onto a foundation sitting inside the soil/bed area. Each trilobite will have a crossvine or passion flower vine that will grow up the center front pillar, up through the round space designed, and then each year will hopefully expand over the shaded roof space.

The process will be embed and foundations are poured together inside planter area first, Patriot Erectors will follow by welding legs to embeds, and  erecting the iron skeleton with myself present the entire time, while i place accent rod work into place, allowing Patriots certified welders do the final attachments. Painting will then be completed.  I will come in after that and first attach a network of treated exterior grade pine to the top planes of iron skeleton. Attachment will be by drilling through iron, placing treated wood on top and setting in panhead screws from under iron.  Once nailer system is down I proceed with carpentry of shade slats, screwing each slat onto wood/steel frame at multiple points with stainless screws.

Steel Wave:
Steel Wave is 1/4 pipe transition skate ramp that doubles as a large scale, living, outdoor sculpture. The Steel Wave is a sculpture of rolled steel pipe, sheet and rods. Wave peaks at 12′ high, (with 1/2″ rod projecting a couple feet higher) and 12′ wide at surface where ramp begins. The overall wave is an intersection of two planes of sheet metal with rolled pipe on the edge as coping. a network of 1/2″ rod will grow up from the earthen back side of sculpture and spread both up the spine of sculpture, and out to side edges of ramp. These rods will be a trellis system conducting plant life up to the high tip of wave, as well as out to side edges.

Front 12′ edge of ramp will be on concrete surface and back spine will reach into soil beds that border park.
Note in last illustration, orange triangle denotes wave’s placement in NW corner of skate area.

Large components of wave will be fabricated at Patriot Erectors site and welded into place at park.

Questions or comments about the public art installation at the House Park Skate Plaza should be directed to Meghan Turner (Meghan.Turner@ci.austin.tx.us).