On behalf of the Oregon Zoo and Metro Regional Government in Portland, Oregon, the Regional Arts & Culture Council is pleased to invite professional artists/teams to submit qualifications for a percent-for-art commission for the Central Plaza / Polar Passage at the Oregon Zoo.  

The project is seeking an artist who will work with the design team of CLR Design, Place Studio and the Oregon Zoo to identify appropriate exterior sites and applications for public art and to subsequently design, fabricate and install artwork at the site.  The design phase is underway and construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2017 and be completed in fall 2018.  The total art budget is $200,000.  Deadline for submitting materials is 11:59PM (MDT), Monday, August 8, 2016.  All applications must be submitted through CaFÉTM.  

SITE DESCRIPTION:  Central Plaza + Polar Passage
The Oregon Zoo is a Polar Bears International (PBI) Arctic Ambassador Center and, as one of its goals, educates the public about polar bears and climate change, playing a leadership role in inspiring carbon reductions in the community.  Polar bears are already experiencing significant changes to their habitats from the effects of climate change, increasing the urgency for expanded education about their plight. Design of the new habitat will include developing the story of polar bears in their native habitats and changes they are experiencing as a result of melting arctic ice.

Three key messages for this project are: (1) providing exceptional welfare and activity through care, research and adventure education; (2) letting bears be bears by providing lots of flexibility and habitat variability; and (3) educating visitors about how environmental change is impacting animal habitats.  The vision for the project is to develop a new and larger habitat that is developed in such a way as to encourage and promote the bears exploring, digging, swimming, scratching, and other natural behaviors. 

The ‘spine’, or main guest path at the Zoo links a series of plazas that help organize the flow of visitors.  The plazas are key locations where guest services, wayfinding and interpretive elements can be found.  At the heart of the zoo, the Central Plaza will feature three polar bear habitats and a maternity den/yard as well as visitor amenities such as seasonal gift carts, guest seating and shade, wayfinding and interpretive signage.

The scope for the $16.4 million project can be roughly broken down into four components:

• Polar Passage (bear habitat and support structures);
• Central Plaza that serves as a primary guest amenity space and provides a place for zoo guests to gather, refresh and orient;
• Infrastructure improvements including stormwater, sanitary sewer, electrical, telecommunications and reclaimed or harvested water;
• Interpretive experiences including graphics, exhibits and interactive learning components.

The total project site is approximately 1.9 acres and is comprised of the existing polar bear habitat, train track and trestle, at grade sections of the train and ballast, secondary visitor paths, and landscape areas.  North of the project site is the new Elephant Lands habitat and service road.  West of the site is the existing farm zone, which anchors the south end of the Great Northwest exhibit sequence.  These facilities will remain undisturbed.  East of the site is the existing wild pigs habitat. The extent of the proposed construction for polar bears will likely require removal or relocation of this exhibit.  Bordering the south side of the site is the existing crossroads of zoo street (main zoo visitor path) Swigert Fountain, penguinarium and chimpanzee habitat. 

PUBLIC ART GOALS
The site for public art will be at the heart of the zoo’s 64 acres and along the main guest path described under “Site Description.” The artwork should creatively build on the core of the project’s themes that focus on climate change, conservation, arctic culture and/or the majesty and mystery of the iconic polar bear.

Artists should also keep in mind the general goals for the zoo’s entire public art program:

• enhancing the site and the visitor’s experience
• inspiring curiosity about art, the zoo and nature
• considering issues of sustainability and conservation
• increasing awareness and appreciation of the zoo as a community asset
• encouraging dialogue, interaction and engagement by people of all ages
• appropriateness to site in terms of both scale and materials

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must have successfully completed at least two major site-specific commissions that were informed by dialogue with a commissioning body.

BUDGET / COMMISSION
Artwork for this project will be commissioned through Metro Regional Government. A sample contract can be found here. 

The artist/team selected through this process will work with the zoo and project design team to develop permanent artwork for the Central Plaza/Polar Passage at the Oregon Zoo that responds to the purpose of the site and the public art goals.  Specific locations for installing artwork will be identified through a collaborative exploration between the design team and the selected artist/team.  Depending on the nature of the proposed artwork, the artist/team and design team may work together to supplement the construction drawings with notes about the artwork installation.

The selected artist will receive a commission of $200,000, inclusive of all fees, design, insurance, engineering, fabrication, delivery, permitting, installation, travel and additional site work necessary to accommodate the artwork. The contract will be divided into proposal development and design ($20,000) and fabrication/installation ($180,000).  The selected artist/team will be required to present a final design proposal to the Oregon Zoo’s Public Art Advisory Committee (OZPAAC) for review and approval.

Travel expenses (transportation and accommodations at standard GSA rates for Portland, Oregon so long as full documentation, including receipts, is provided) will be covered for the initial site visit and interview.  Once awarded the commission all expenses will be the responsibility of the selected artist.

SELECTION CRITERIA/PROCESS
Metro Regional Government has contracted with the Portland area’s Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to manage the public art selection process.  The Oregon Zoo Public Art Advisory Committee (OZPAAC) will review materials of artists using the on-line CaFE™ system and intends to choose no more than four finalists for interviews from which the artist will be selected. 

An OZPAAC subcommittee of artists and architects will evaluate the application materials to determine which semi-finalists will be considered by OZPAAC. For those applicants being considered, committee members will assign scores for each of the categories described below under Evaluation Criteria. The total score from each panelist will be computed, and all scores will be added together and averaged, providing a final score for each application. Up to four top scoring artists will be invited to a final interview round with the OZPAAC. The day prior to interviews, finalists will visit the site, and meet with the design team and zoo staff to learn about the construction project to date.  Project specific proposals are not required at the interview stage, although candidates should be prepared to discuss initial reactions to the potential for public art at the site. 

Following the individual interviews, the OZPAAC will recommend a single artist/team for the commission to the Bond Steering Group for approval. 

The Oregon Zoo is not required to commission an individual from among submitting artists and neither issuance of this RFQ, nor evaluation of any or all proposals, obligates the Zoo to award a contract from this RFQ.

EVALUATION CRITERIA
The selection panel will score applicants based on the criteria listed below. 

40%     Artistic merit of submitted past work (including material handling, aesthetic appeal, and contextual response to the site and/or architecture)

30%     Statement of interest and description of how past work addressed a project’s particular needs

20%     Demonstrated ability to think and work in a scale and with materials appropriate to a site that is conceptually relevant

10%     Demonstrated ability to successfully collaborate as part of a design team and/or experience with incorporating community engagement

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
All applications must be submitted through CaFE™.   If you do not already have a profile set up with CaFE™, then you will have to set one up free of charge.  Applicants unfamiliar with or requiring assistance with the system may contact WESTAF's technical advisors who may provide support during the application process. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. The system will prompt the applicant if the application has not been completed but it is the responsibility of the applicant to complete and submit it by the deadline – 11:59PM (MDT), Monday, August 8, 2016.  The application must include the following materials:

1. Statement of interest (a.k.a. artist statement).  In 2000 or less characters and spaces, explain why this project, its themes and focus is of interest to you. Describe how your previous work addressed site and some similar goals stated for this project.  Include descriptions of how you worked with a design team and other comments that might help to differentiate you as a candidate for this project.  (When this item is printed, the CaFE™ system automatically omits all characters/spaces that exceed the 2000 limit.)
2. Two-page résumé uploaded as a PDF that outlines professional accomplishment and includes two professional references (name, affiliated organization, email address and phone number) for both individual applicants and teams (2 per team).  For team applications, include a 2-page résumé for each team member that are combined into one PDF.
3. Up to 10 Images* of past work including details. Examples must illustrate projects within the context of a specific site. These images are the primary way the quality of your work is judged. Provide the following information for each visual:  title, year produced, dimensions, budget, media and a brief description.  Do not embed label information into the jpeg image.  

Optional:  Up to 3 video downloads not to exceed 3 minutes each may be included as part of the 10 images.  Media preparation guidelines are available on the CaFE™ website.

* If you do not have the required 10 images, click here to obtain a blank image. Save the blank image there as a jpeg file and add it to your image bank, to use as many times as needed in order to provide the required images for the application.

WORKING PROJECT TIMELINE
Application deadline                11:59PM (MDT) Monday, August 8, 2016
Artist selection for interview    late September 2016
Artist (s) site visits, interviews early November 2016
Construction begins                December 2017
Completion                              December 2018

BACKGROUND: The Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo is a community treasure and continues to be the number one admission-based attraction in Oregon.  It is recognized for its success in protecting threatened and endangered species and providing generations of families with unique hands-on learning and recreational experiences. With five major exhibit areas -- Great Northwest, Fragile Forests, Asia, Pacific Shores and Africa – the zoo consistently attracts over 1.6 million visitors per year and has over 42,000 member households.

The 64-acre Oregon Zoo is approximately 2 miles west of downtown Portland, Oregon and located on a southwest facing ridge line, within an area of steep slopes and ravines. Located within walking distance of the zoo is the Portland Children’s Museum, Opal School, the World Forestry Center as well as a Tri Met Light Rail Station and bus stop.  The zoo is adjacent to Washington Park, a 400-plus acre facility that includes large open areas and public attractions such as the Hoyt Arboretum, Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, International Rose Test Garden and the Portland Japanese Garden.

The zoo is dedicated to its mission of inspiring the community to respect animals and act on behalf of the natural world.  This is accomplished by creating engaging experiences and advancing the highest level of animal welfare, environmental literacy and conservation science.  The Polar Passage is one of the capital improvement initiatives approved by voters to support that mission. 

The zoo relies in part on community support through donations to the Oregon Zoo Foundation to undertake these and many other animal welfare, education and sustainability programs. The zoo has over 1700 volunteers, ages 12 and up, who are Zoo Ambassadors, community event volunteers, ZooGuides, Volunteer Divers or participants in the summer ZooTeens program. 
 
OREGON ZOO BOND
In November 2008, voters in Portland’s tri-county region approved a $125M bond measure for the Oregon Zoo with 59% of the vote.  The bond put the Oregon Zoo in a strong position to protect animal health and safety, increase access to conservation education and to upgrade zoo facilities.  The zoo bond covers planning and construction of new and expanded zoo habitats for elephants, polar bears, rhinos and primates, a new California condor exhibit, a new conservation education facility, and improved energy and water conservation measures across the zoo campus. The remaining projects will be constructed over the next four years.

The mission of the Oregon Zoo is to inspire the community to respect animals and act on behalf of the natural world. We do this by creating engaging experiences and advancing the highest level of animal welfare, environmental literacy, and conservation science.

The Oregon Zoo Comprehensive Capital Master Plan  was adopted in October 2011 and includes a 900-ft long central ”spine” intended to become the zoo’s primary open space and unifying feature. Visitor amenities will be concentrated in each of three plazas, making it easier for visitors to rest or decide where to embark upon the next adventure. A new Veterinary Medical Center, also paid for by the bond, opened in January 2012, and the Elephant Lands/East Plaza opened in 2015.   A new Education Center and West Plaza are scheduled to open in early 2017. 

WEBSITES/LINKS
Oregon Zoo
Polar Passage
Metro Regional Government
CLR Design
Place Studio

OREGON ZOO PUBLIC ART ADVISORY COMMITTEE]
Carlotta Collette, Metro Councilor
John Forsgren, Designer/RACC Public Art Advisory Committee
Kregg Hanson, Oregon Zoo Foundation member emeritus
Jiseon Lee Isbara, artist
Susan Hartnett, City of Portland and Oregon Zoo Bond Oversight Committee member
Anne Lauerman, Oregon Zoo Africa Zookeeper
Gregg Leicester, CLR Design
Margot Monti, Oregon Zoo Veterinary Technician
Anne Storrs, artist

QUESTIONS?  Peggy Kendellen, Public Art Manager | Regional Arts & Culture Council | pkendellen@racc.org | 503.823.4196

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria