The Firehouse

MidPen Housing Corporation is hiring an artist or artist team with expertise in ceramics, mosaic and tile, metal fabrication, and/or assemblage for a public art commission. The project involves designing and installing an approximately 12 square foot wall piece for the exterior of The Firehouse, a new affordable housing community located at 1300 El Camino Real in Belmont, California. The development is named after a historic firehouse built on the site in the 1930s. The façade and historic windows of the original firehouse have been retained and incorporated into the new housing community's exterior façade. Local artists and artists from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Artists with exterior ceramic experience and outdoor installation are preferred.

The artist's challenge is to combine salvaged materials from the original structure—primarily hand-made decorative tiles—with new materials and expression to honor the site's history while serving its renewed purpose as a visual anchor for the neighborhood. Over 12 square feet of original hand-made tiles were carefully extracted from the interior of the building, along with wrought iron railings, copper gutters, wooden window frames, wall sconces, and other miscellaneous items. The public art will be installed and maintained permanently on The Firehouse property for the enjoyment of residents and passersby.

The Firehouse is a 4-story building providing homes for 66 low-income families and individuals on a prominent corner site within a half mile of the Belmont Caltrans station. The original firehouse structure was built through the W.P.A. and is recognized as Spanish Revival style with a hexagonal tower and large domed windows. MidPen is encouraging community participation in the design of this commission. Artists will have full access to historic resource evaluations, photographs, and relevant documents. Site visits are highly recommended. Applicants should submit a resume, artist statement, and 6-12 images. Artists living within a 50-mile radius of the site with a connection to the Bay Area are preferred.