PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The Public Arts Board of Norman is seeking designs for Phase #5 of the Artist Designed Bike Racks Project. This fourth phase of the project will place artist designed bike racks across core Norman. We are looking for bike racks that can accommodate a minimum of two bicycles, one on each side of the rack (similar to traditional “U” shaped racks), and that will represent Norman’s unique aesthetic and cultural identity.
This Request for Proposals is specifically for bike racks that will be located in the following Norman parks:
Rotary Park
Saxon Park
Reaves Park
Colonial Estates
And three to be placed on West Main at locations to be determined.
HONORARIUM:
Winning entries will receive a $200 honorarium.
SELECTION:
A Design Review Board composed of local arts advocates, bicycle advocates, and other community stakeholders will work with the Public Arts Board and be responsible for selecting the winning designs.
FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION:
No fabrication skills are necessary to enter this competition. The Public Arts Board will be responsible for the fabrication and installation of winning bike rack designs.
MODIFICATIONS:
Selected designs will be produced with the intention of replicating the design as closely as possible but the Public Arts Board reserves the right to modify the designs when it is necessary for fabrication.
ELIGIBILITY:
The competition is open to all Oklahoma artists. Only applications submitted through the online process will be considered. Applications must be 100% completed for consideration.
DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS:
• Design Worksheet: All designs must be submitted on the provided Design Worksheet.
• Dimensions: The minimum and maximum dimensions are indicated on the design worksheet for your convenience. Bike racks must have a minimum dimension of 4’ x 3’ (h x w) and may not exceed 7’ x 4’ (h x w).
FUNCTIONALITY GUIDELINES: It is important that the bike racks be functional as well as sculptural/aesthetic in nature. The Public Arts Board has partnered with local bicycle riders to provide the following guidelines regarding the functionality of the Artist Designed Bike Racks. Functionality will be an important criterion in selecting winning decisions.
• Accommodate a minimum of 2 bicycles upright by their frames
• Enable the frame and one of the two wheels to be secured using a standard u-lock
• Provide locking points that are between 1’ and 3’ above the ground
• Include no sharp edges or potential safety hazards
• Provide a gap near the bottom for pedal clearance
SUBMISSIONS:
Artists may submit as many entries as they wish. Submissions should be made as follows:
• Worksheet: For fabrication purposes, all designs must be submitted on the attached worksheet. Winning designs will be fabricated using the scale measurements on the worksheet.
• White Background: In an effort to keep all of the designs consistent, we request that designs be submitted on a simple white background. No background images please.
• Artist Information: Artist information must be filled in on each and every individual design. Designs submitted with incomplete artist information will be disqualified.
• Content: Bike rack designs cannot directly advertise or advocate for any particular entity or organization (i.e. Walmart, University of Oklahoma, Zoos, Museums etc.). Also, winning designs must be appropriate for use in the public domain.
• No “Wheel Benders”: In the bicycle community, bike racks that hold bike racks upright by the wheel are known as “wheel benders”. The bike racks that are used by bicyclists and bike advocates support bikes by their frame instead of the wheel. Designs that appear to encourage “wheel bending” type bike parking will be eliminated from this competition.
• Materials and Line Widths: Bike racks will be fabricated using 1”, 2” and 3” diameter steel tube in both square and round stock. Artists may utilize up to 3 line widths to reflect these materials in their design. Artists may also suggest their tube stock preferences; square, round, or indicate a combination of square and round.
• Hardscape Mounting: To insure that the racks can be securely mounted to the hardscape, designs must intersect with the ground plane in at least 2 points.
• Colors: The following palette has been selected for the project; however, PLEASE NOTE, that each bike rack must be monochromatic. Also, because of a safety issue and lack of visibility, black is not included in the following color choices. Artists may choose a single color for their design from this palette:
All entries must be submitted through Submittables at: https://normanarts.submittable.com/submit/136324/norman-public-arts-board-artist-designed-bike-racks
TIMELINE:
Call for Entries Issued: Friday, March 1, 2019
Submission Deadline: Friday, April 12, 2019
Competition Winners Notified: April 19, 2019
Installation: To be determined, 2019
FURTHER INFORMATION:
For more information, please contact Norman Arts Council at nac@normanarts.org or by calling (405) 360-1162.