The Seattle Design Commission announced the finalists for their initiative to improve the look of vacant project sites. They say the response to their call for ideas to improve the look of stalled construction sites in the city was overwhelming with 83 entries. They chose 13 ideas, including one for a site at 15th and West Blaine.
The idea is to use the Interbay vacant lot, along with sites in Ballard and Belltown, to experiment with public art – writing, tagging, and graffiti. John Fleming submitted the idea and he envisions using the lots as a place to gather artists and mount large metal panels as canvases, provide paint and let people go at it. The panels would eventually be taken down, cut up and turned into new art for parks, civic buildings, art galleries or private collections.
The Design Commission says they are asking the community to think about this problem and help them find more creative ways to deal with the issue of vacant lots. The next step is to connect the finalists with vacant property owners, developers, and City of Seattle representatives so they can discuss the kind of support needed to implement the ideas.
