SunCal To Seek Artists For Public Art At Oak Knoll Master-Planned Community In Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SunCal, the master developer of the Oak Knoll community in Oakland, is seeking qualified artists to compete for five public art projects to be installed throughout the new development. SunCal is contributing $900,000 to fund the program.

In the spirit of Oakland's Public Art Ordinance, SunCal recognizes the value of public art and embraces the objectives of this ordinance. "It is our goal to engage the Bay Area art community to help us create a sense of place, a focal point and a destination," said David Soyka, Senior Vice President, SunCal.  "All of these elements will contribute to shaping the fabric of the Oak Knoll community."

SunCal's goal is to involve artists as early in the planning stage as possible so that the selected proposals and designs will be integrated into the larger Oak Knoll community plans. The proposed master plan is currently going through the City's public review and entitlement process.

SunCal is seeking the largest pool of qualified artists or artist teams and will therefore employ a request for qualifications (RFQ) call for entry and selection-panel process. RFQ calls with site and budget details will be posted in the design phase so that artists can work with the architects and engineers to incorporate their concepts into the construction documents.

A call for entries for each of the projects will be posted online, as well as through Bay Area arts organizations and mailings. A selection panel comprised of art professionals, community stakeholders and SunCal representatives will choose three finalists from the pool of applicants. Artistic excellence, innovation, and creativity expressed in past work, as well as professional experience, will be evaluated by the panel. The three finalists will complete a proposal and the panel will then select a finalist.  

The public art projects will be located at the Creekside Entry Park, Rifle Range Creek Bridge, Village Center Plaza and Oak Woodland areas of the development. In addition, artist-designed public amenities (park benches and bicycle racks) will be distributed throughout the Oak Knoll community.

Artists who are interested in this program should visit www.oakknollcommunity.com/public-art/ and fill out the form posted there to receive RFQ notifications.

The Oak Knoll property in the Oakland Hills is the former site of the Naval Medical Center Oakland. The Naval complex treated thousands of service personnel during World War II and continued serving the military until 1996.

Covering 187 acres, Oak Knoll is planned to feature 935 homes including single-family residences, town homes and estate homes; 72,000 square feet of commercial retail in a village center; and 76 acres of public parks, open space and publicly accessible trails. The community will also include a creek running through the property that will be restored to its natural condition; a new community center that will be available to residents and the general public; and a memorial honoring military personnel who served or were treated at the Naval Hospital.

About SunCal

SunCal acquires, entitles and develops major residential properties and commercial developments.  The company creates distinctive master-planned and mixed-use communities that emphasize quality of life, environmental sensitivity and recreational opportunities.  SunCal is one of the largest real estate development companies in the U.S. that specializes in large-scale, mixed-use master-planned communities, and has offices in Irvine, Calif.; Northern California; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Austin, Texas.  For more information, visit www.suncal.com.

Media Contact:
Kevin Keane
Singer Associates
[email protected]
415-227-9700

SOURCE SunCal

Related Links

http://suncal.com