We at Seattle Center are excited to announce the selection of a design and construction team for Artists at Play, a privately funded children’s play project at Seattle Center. The team, comprised of celebrated artists Trimpin and Judith Caldwell, in partnership with Site Workshop and Highwire, will transform the asphalt plaza between Seattle Center Armory and EMP Museum into a free, artistically-inspired play area for kids of all ages.
Based on the idea that play can encompass sounds and motion, Trimpin, a MacArthur Genius Award recipient, will create a series of playful interactive sculptures that brings a kinetic and musical presence to the playground. Caldwell, a renowned Pacific Northwest artist and Seattle native, will engage local kids to interpret their stories into artworks, which will be integrated throughout the site.
Landscape architecture firm Site Workshop, which has broad experience in creating imaginative parks and play areas, will blend the artworks into a comprehensive design that includes art elements and new innovative play equipment, supplied by Highwire, a local play equipment provider, into an immersive play experience for kids of all ages.
The project’s partners will invite children and adults alike to join team members in a Kick-Off Community Design Presentation and Workshop, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, March 1, in Next 50 Pavilion (adjacent to the Monorail platform). Both artists and the larger design team will be on hand to present their initial design work and gather input from the public as their concepts evolve. Additional community workshops are being scheduled around the city in spring 2014 to collect a diverse range of ideas.
Information on the Artists at Play project is available at: www.SeattleCenter.com.