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  • From: "Frank Webb" <frankwebb AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: <chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Chpac-staff] Article in CH News about Lot 5 and Mikyoung Kim
  • Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 12:04:49 -0500

For the complete story ... http://www.chapelhillnews.com/front/story/12367.html

 

 

chapel hill news

 

 

Published: Jan 27, 2008 09:59 AM
Modified: Jan 27, 2008 09:59 AM

 

Artist offers first look at Lot 5 plans
Art project will incorporate light and water

 

CHAPEL HILL -- The public on Monday will get its first chance to see plans for the artwork intended for the planned mixed-use development at Parking Lot 5.

Mikyoung Kim, the lead artist and designer, will show the community what she has in mind for the project. She said her designs will incorporate water and light into the space.

Kim will present her ideas at a community meeting at 5 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Public Library and at the Town Council meeting at 7 p.m.

In February 2007, the town approved the $75 million condominium-retail project on the 1.7-acre site now occupied by Parking Lot 5, at the corner of West Franklin and Church streets. Ram Development Company will build an eight-story condominium tower on the lot. The project will include 137 condominium units and 161 parking spaces.

Ram has committed 1 percent of its budget to artwork on the site. Kim's company, Mikyoung Kim Design, will design the first art piece, which will be concentrated in a plaza near the corner of Church and Franklin streets.

A selection committee will then bring a second artist onto the project as soon as February.

The second artist will be free to design and choose the placement of the second piece of art, but Kim said it would likely be placed along the site's Rosemary Street frontage.

Kim said her piece will incorporate water and natural light, based on Chapel Hill's interest in "green" design, sustainability and reclaimed stormwater. She said Chapel Hill needs more public gathering spaces, like plazas and parks.

"It's based on this whole notion of creating art that focuses on the specifics of Chapel Hill, and the dynamic changes and the natural systems of Chapel Hill," she said. "This is a very different type of art project from all the other art projects done in Chapel Hill. It's something done in partnership with the developer and is funded by the developer. It's not funded by the city."

Kim said she wants to include a fountain that will use stormwater collected from the condominium tower instead of using water from the town's water supply. The fountain will operate only when there is enough stormwater available in the system, and will require only a small amount of water, she said.

"What we want to do with this plaza and the art piece is to create a place where multi-generational constituents ... where people of all ages can come to this place," Kim said. "There's the opportunity to make Church Street much nicer."

She envisions the space as a gathering place that will bring in events like festivals and book fairs that will "bring people into the city, engaging them into the place."

Her idea with all her public art projects is to integrate the art into the space and use the surroundings to incorporate the art.

"I think it works both ways," Kim said. "I think that with a new development like this, that the art can actually enliven the space, and enhance the place. At the same time, this new development can help create that energy, bringing people to that space. ... For any development to do that, it involves multiple efforts to create that kind of energy and space."

Frank Webb, chairman of the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission, said he's excited about the project.

"I'm familiar with her work in general," Webb said. "Her work is just breathtaking. It's absolutely fantastic. She creates a more artistic environment. These are very much things people can walk up to, perhaps walk over, walk through. [It's] the idea of things people can experience. It's different from just staring at a piece of art."

He said he hopes the partnership of private developers funding public art projects becomes a trend.

"We're talking about a development happening virtually in the epicenter of Chapel Hill, where people can go -- an outside spot where people can meet and congregate in," Webb said. "It will help revitalize Chapel Hill."

Contact staff writer Meiling Arounnarath at 932-2004 or meiling.arounnarath AT nando.com.

2008 The Chapel Hill News

© Copyright 2008, The News & Observer Publishing Company
A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company

 




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