Denver Justice Center Phase II Public Art Commission

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: Denver Justice Center Campus Public Art Phase II

The City and County of Denver is seeking artists for Phase II public art commissions totaling approximately $700,000. By ordinance, one percent of the Justice Center construction budget is allocated to public art. Phase II commissions are open to all artists working in any medium, with Colorado artists encouraged to apply. Selected artists will work with the design team to create site-specific works for the two primary Justice Center buildings—the Courthouse and Detention Center. While several locations for artwork have been identified by the Project Selection Panel and Design Team, new or additional sites can be proposed by artists, subject to approval. Contracts for Phase II commissions will range from $50,000 to $350,000, determined by the Project Selection Panel based on previous work presented for review.

The Justice Center campus includes a five-story, 317,000 square-foot Courthouse designed by klipp, RicciGreen Associates, and Harold Massop Associates Architects; a 435,000 square-foot Detention Center designed by Hartman-Cox Architects and Oz Architecture; and landscape architecture and central plaza designed by studioINSITE. The complex is slated to open in summer 2010 and will be built and certified to LEED standards.

Proposed artwork should be appropriate for a location where issues of justice and law are handled. The Courthouse Jury Assembly Room features a prominent head wall (approximately 14 feet high and 50-60 feet long) visible from outside the building. The Project Selection Panel suggests applicants consider the Architects' Statements regarding the Courthouse's expression of justice, permanence, stability, openness, and transparency, and the Detention Center's expression of accessibility, legibility, transparency, and Denver's hope and optimism. Work sample requirements: 8 images.