INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
GUIDELINE
TRIM NUMBER: D12#436531
ISSUE DATE: 15 February 2013
OWNER: Manager Commercial Services
CUSTODIAN: Project Management Practice Manager
AMENDMENTS
Revision No / Revision Date / Description of Amendment0 / 19/12/2012 / Initial document creation
1 / 15/02/2013 / Document issued
2 / 16/05/2013 / 2.1.3 Engage an Art Coordinator – engagement process revised for clarity
ABBREVIATIONS
AC Art Coordinator
ASC Artwork Selection Committee
BMW Building Management and Works
CRG Community Representative Group
DCA Department of Culture and the Arts
ED Executive Director
EOI Expression of Interest
MST Manager Supply and Transport
PACA Public Art Commission Agreement
PD Project Director
PM Project Manager
PMM Procurement Manager Metropolitan
RFP Request for Proposal
SWTC Scope of Works and Technical Criteria
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION 4
1.1 Scope and Purpose 4
1.2 Main Roads Policy for Public Art – principles and objectives 4
1.3 What is Public Art? 4
1.4 Why have public art in transport infrastructure projects? 5
1.5 Percent for Art Scheme 5
2. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS 7
2.1 Commitment to Public Art 8
2.1.1 When to include Public Art 8
2.1.2 Determine Level of Funding 8
2.1.3 Engage an Art Coordinator 9
2.1.4 Determine Type of Artwork 10
2.1.5 Produce Scoping Report 10
2.2 Artist and Design Concept Selection 11
2.2.1 Develop Artworks Brief 11
2.2.2 Engage with Community Representative Group 11
2.2.3 Establish Artworks Selection Committee 12
2.2.4 Artist Engagement 12
2.2.5 Shortlist Artists and Call for Design Concept Submissions 12
2.2.6 Selection of Artist and Design Concept 13
2.2.7 Approval of Selection 13
2.3 Artwork Commission, Fabrication and Installation 14
2.3.1 Commission Artwork 14
2.3.2 Design Development Stage 15
2.3.3 Quality Assurance 15
2.3.4 Signage and Landscaping 16
2.4 Public Art Close-out and Handover 17
2.4.1 Close-out Report 17
2.4.2 Maintenance and Upkeep Details 17
2.4.3 Handover to Asset Manager 17
3. REFERENCE MATERIAL 18
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope and Purpose
Art in public places can express community aspirations, enhance local identity, and promote a sense of place. The number of proposals for public art to be incorporated into the road reserve is increasing as the community has accepted it as a positive contributing element in the built environment.
This document provides guidance for the incorporation of public art into transport infrastructure projects, to ensure a consistent approach and good results.
1.2 Main Roads Policy for Public Art – principles and objectives
Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA) is committed to the commissioning of public art that enriches contemporary culture through:
· Exploring and expressing local identity
· Enhancing the visual amenity of the built environment
· Involving the community in a dialogue about art and its relationship to public space
In applying these principles MRWA has the following objectives for public art:
· To enhance cultural and natural heritage by commissioning artwork that is site-specific and reflects the people and the place
· To integrate the aesthetics of contemporary design with infrastructural form and function
· To contribute to way-finding and orientation, improving road safety
· To create opportunities to inspire and develop local artists
· To provide opportunities for community engagement, including decision making on public art in partnership with stakeholders
· To focus on motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to gain maximum visual effect and provide a memorable experience
· To encourage sustainability principles in the production of public art striving for innovation, safety, integration with landscape, and low ongoing maintenance
· To strive for high quality outcomes through implementing best practice public art procurement and delivery processes
1.3 What is Public Art?
For transport infrastructure purposes “public art” is defined as authorised artwork located within or adjoining the road reserve. Public art may be artist created or directed.
· Public art – is planned and executed with the purpose of being sited or staged in the public domain. The common elements of art in public places are that they are accessible to the public and that an artist has been involved in the design, or design and fabrication. In WA, the term has come to include both sculpture and functional objects such as artist-designed seating, lamp posts and paving.
· Community art – typically a “grass roots” approach to creating art. A professional artist and/or community arts worker is engaged to facilitate and/or collaborate with non-artist members of the community for the creation of site specific artwork.
Public art projects do not usually include advertising, directional or tourist signs, logos, off the shelf art items, or just landscaping.
Public art may be produced by different processes:
a) Artist commission – this is where an artist (or team of artists) responds to an Artworks Brief for a particular project and designs or makes (or organises the making of) the artwork.
b) Community arts project – this is where an artist works with members of the community, or specific groups in the community, to design and make the artwork. For a project to be called a community arts project there is usually a high degree of community involvement in the design and ‘hands on’ making of the artwork itself.
c) Collaborative design process – this is where an artist is engaged at a very early stage of the infrastructure project to collaborate with an engineer and/or landscape architect or bridge architect to design an integrated artwork for a wall or path or contributes to the design of individual elements of the Scope of Works and Technical Criteria (SWTC), e.g. an artistically designed bridge. With this process the Artist is involved in the design stage, and works with the Engineer and MRWA contract staff to ensure that all artistic requirements are adequately documented and specified for the Construction Contractor to implement. The Artist is also engaged to supervise the implementation of their design working together with MRWA quality assurance staff to ensure that the artwork is implemented as the Artist intended and to the quality of finishes required.
1.4 Why have public art in transport infrastructure projects?
Roads never exist by themselves; they have a context and are part of a place. Public art items are intended to be a relatively permanent and lasting expression of cultural identity and natural heritage.
Design of the road corridor influences the form, function of the surrounding area and wellbeing of the community. Increasingly, major transport infrastructure projects are delivered using a context sensitive design approach to “best fit” the infrastructure into the local environment. Public art is one aspect of the urban design approach to building infrastructure projects.
The inclusion of public art in the road reserve can enhance the public acceptance of infrastructure projects and add to the overall visual amenity of the road reserve. Public art can assist with way-finding and orientation, and in many cases discourage graffiti vandalism of road assets. Public art can also enhance the travel experience of the road user, cyclist, pedestrian, or shared path user.
1.5 Percent for Art Scheme
The Percent for Art Scheme is a State Government initiative that started in 1989. The scheme is managed by Building Management and Works (BMW) at the Department of Finance, in partnership with the Department for Culture and the Arts (DCA).
Two objectives of the scheme are:
- To improve the quality of the built environment and the value of public facilities.
- To identify and create new professional and economic opportunities for Western Australian artists.
The State Government’s Percent for Art policy requires up to 1.0% of the total construction budget for new civic buildings and major infrastructure projects over $2 million to be expended on artwork. Projects below $2 million may incorporate a Percent for Art component at the discretion of the commissioning agency. Ongoing maintenance of artworks devolves to the client department.
Key elements in the scheme include:
· Panel of Art Coordinators
· Guidance notes and promotional material
· Commission agreements
There is a growing body of experienced artists in WA capable of preparing public art within the context of a civil engineering works contract.
2. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
See also the Public Art Checklist [TRIM D12#437004]
2.1 Commitment to Public Art
· Assess whether public art is to be included in a transport infrastructure project· Determine level of funding for the artwork
· Engage an Art Coordinator
· Determine type of artwork
· Produce Scoping Report
2.1.1 When to include Public Art
The inclusion of public art within road projects is determined on a project-by-project basis. The need and scope of public art is assessed as part of the infrastructure project planning phase and in collaboration with stakeholders to establish:
· Whether the particular project should include a public art component
· What level of funding should be applied to public art
· The general scope of works (i.e. forms of public art and locations) which is dependent on the level of funding
In general MRWA will consider the inclusion of public art in road reserves for significant transport infrastructure projects. Less significant projects may be considered where there is a demonstrable benefit, such as public art on retaining walls to discourage graffiti vandalism, or to provide a gateway statement to a particular locality, e.g. entrance to the city or town centre.
Public art may also be considered in locations such as civic areas where a higher standard of visual amenity is warranted.
Once the commitment to include public art in a project has been made, it is essential to engage an Art Coordinator (AC) as early in the process as possible to facilitate the scoping and procurement process.
2.1.2 Determine Level of Funding
The budget allocation is determined on a project-by-project basis, and may be up to 1.0% of the total project construction budget (as per the Percent for Art Scheme). The PD/PM engages an AC to produce a Scoping Report and this provides the basis for setting the initial budget allocation for public art. The public art budget is to include:
· Art coordination fees
· Design Concept fees for shortlisted artists
· Artist’s fees for the community consultation sessions
· All commission costs to implement the artwork (this will depend on the type of artwork desired)
It is important to note that the Commonwealth Government does not fund standalone public art, so for any projects that are federally funded careful consideration must be given as to whether to include standalone artwork. The Commonwealth will generally fund public art if it is integrated into the whole urban design concept and is functional, i.e. provides a secondary function and is not solely artwork.
2.1.3 Engage an Art Coordinator
The role of the AC is crucial to the successful selection, procurement and installation of public artworks, particularly for large scale and/or high profile projects. The AC is responsible for all or some of the following activities. Any activities not performed by the AC will devolve to the PD/PM:
· Produce a Scoping Report
· Draft and finalise the Artworks Brief
· Prepare any EOI or tender documentation to MRWA’s required procurement standards
· Produce Design Concept Requirements (if necessary), selection criteria and weightings
· Facilitate community and/or stakeholder consultation sessions
· Facilitate the artist selection process
· Organise selected artist presentations
· Oversee implementation of the artwork(s)
· Provide advice to the project team
· Report on progress
· Review and submit progress payments for artists
The role of the AC may vary depending on the type of infrastructure project. The AC can either be engaged through BMW’s Percent for Art Scheme or directly by MRWA. Refer to Table 1 below.
ENGAGEMENT OF ART COORDINATOR // Through Percent for Art Scheme / Directly by MRWA /
1 / The PD/PM contacts the Public Art Manager at BMW and requests an AC from the BMW Art Coordination Services Panel. Contact details can be found here. (www.finance.wa.gov.au – Building Management and Works > New Buildings > Percent for Art) / The PD/PM identifies prospective ACs based on previous engagements, experience and availability.
2 / The PD/PM provides BMW with relevant information about the project, including the public art budget, timetable, location of the project and site map. / The PD/PM provides prospective ACs with relevant information about the project, including the public art budget, timetable, location of the project and site map.
3 / BMW assigns an AC and MRWA contracts the AC.
The AC fees will be as per the fees fixed under the Art Coordination Services Panel at BMW. Refer to BMW’s Hourly Rate and Fee Scale for ACs [TRIM D12#436550] / The PD/PM requests quotations from prospective ACs. Refer to Requesting Quotes from Suppliers [TRIM D13#5040]
On receipt of quotations, the PD/PM selects a preferred candidate.
4 / Determine purchasing requirements based on value of engagement – refer to Engaging an Art Coordinator Flowchart [TRIM D13#55941]
5 / Supply & Transport issues a Notice of Acceptance for the AC quoting the Purchase Order Number and/or Contract Number, and outlining the scope of work, confirming timetable and payment arrangements. Refer to Notice of Acceptance for Art Coordinator template [TRIM D12#436517]
Table 1 – Engagement of Art Coordinator
Once appointed the AC will work with the PD/PM and key stakeholders to define the scope of the public art project.
2.1.4 Determine Type of Artwork
Public art in transport infrastructure projects will generally consist of some or all of the following forms:
a) Standalone artwork – these are works of art which are three dimensional structures, standing on their own (i.e. not attached to other built structures in the road reserve) though they may be located on an art specific support structure, such as a pedestal or pole. For example, a three dimensional sculpture in a roundabout.
b) Applied artwork – these are works of art which are attached or applied to built surfaces such as walls or underpasses, bridges, noise walls, visual screens. For example, a mural painted onto the wall of an underpass.
c) Integrated artwork – these are works of art which are highly integrated into a surface of a vertical or horizontal plane in the road reserve, for example, concrete walls which contain relief patterns and have specially coloured and textured surfaces, or specially designed balustrades for dual use path bridges. In these cases the work of art cannot be ‘separated’ from the structure itself, it is an integral part of it.