Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

chpac-staff - Re: [Chpac-staff] aquatics center article

chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Chpac-staff mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Frank Webb" <frankwebb AT nc.rr.com>
  • To: "'Steve Wright'" <swright AT townofchapelhill.org>, <chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Chpac-staff] aquatics center article
  • Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:56:42 -0400

Thanks, Steve. There is no mention of CHPAC. We must try to get our name in these articles

 


From: chpac-staff-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:chpac-staff-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Steve Wright
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 9:23 AM
To: chpac-staff AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Chpac-staff] aquatics center article

 

Dear CHPAC,

 

Linked and reproduced below is an article in today's paper about the Ray King's work at the Aquatics Center.

 

-Steve

 

 

 

- Aquatic Center closer to completion

CHAPEL HILL -- The Chapel Hill Aquatic Center moved one step closer to completion Monday with the installation of the terrazzo floor art project in the main lobby of the building.

http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/orange/10-978919.cfm

 

Aquatic Center closer to completion

 

By Lisa A. Young : The Herald-Sun

lyoung AT heraldsun.com

Aug 12, 2008

 

CHAPEL HILL -- The Chapel Hill Aquatic Center moved one step closer to completion Monday with the installation of the terrazzo floor art project in the main lobby of the building.

 

Ray King, a glass and light artist from Philadelphia, began work on the floor last Wednesday, and on Monday had it nearly finished -- all that remains is grout work and a gloss finish to be put over the floor, and King expects those final steps to be complete today.

 

King and other workers began by drilling holes into the terrazzo, which he explained is a material composed of marble chips and epoxy. They then began the time-consuming task of placing more than 2,000 light-responsive, laminated glass disks in the floor. These disks comprise a rainbow of color, and King said that at certain times of day -- particularly in the morning -- the light from giant windows overhead reflects off the disks in a brilliant display.

 

The artwork, titled Eddies of Light, was inspired by the water eddies of a brook or stream, and King said many water metaphors -- sparkle, reflection, ripples and surface changes, among others -- are woven into the project.

 

King said he is especially pleased with the way the dark blue terrazzo complements the colorful cylinders, which give the illusion that the light is coming from the floor when in fact it's reflecting from the windows above. He added that to get the full effect, one must walk across the "water" to see how it changes.

 

"The intent was to make an artwork that both children and adults can enjoy," King said as workers and members of the media walked through the lobby and admired the floor.

 

King said he was selected to do the project from a pool of about four other artists. His plans underwent slight modifications after the Town of Chapel Hill decided to go with a "green" design for the building. However, King said that actually worked out to be a good thing because the large windows and other features complemented the artwork.

 

Eddies of Light is funded in part through the town's Percent for Art Ordinance, which allocates 1 percent of selected capital projects for public art.

 

Butch Kisiah, the town's parks and recreation director, said the Chapel Hill Aquatic Center will likely be ready to open in September. There is water in the facility's two pools, but Kisiah said that the contractor still has a few things to do before turning it over to the town.

 

Part of the reason for filling the pool so soon had to do with last year's severe drought; Kisiah said he felt it would be best to have water in the pool in case there were more water restrictions.

 

"It's been a pretty good project," Kisiah said of the Aquatic Center. "I think the folks in Chapel Hill are going to be really pleased. The art project's going to be a real eye-opener when they come in the door. We're really looking forward to it."

 

© 2008 by The Durham Herald Company. All rights reserved.




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page