Weymouth RR
A new road through a traditional English rural landscape presents a number of problems which can be solved responsibly. Approaching this from an artist's point of view will give unexpected results.
my experience in similar projects
answers
My answers to your selection criteria are stated below. Clicking your key words will take you to my specific answer immediately:
- Creativity shown in past projects
- Evidence from previous work that the candidate can deliver designs within a compressed timescale
- experience of collaborating on design teams, in particular on engineering schemes with a highways department.
- The proposed working methodology as described at interview
- Experience of actively engaging with community groups
- Compatibility with the project team.
- Our judgment of the perceived suitability of the candidate’s work based on past built and unbuilt projects.
I have taken part in dozens of projects; and since most of them involved much more than selling a sculpture, many discussions with committees, landscape architects, architects, designers, contractors, working groups, project teams, city council members, aldermen and mayors have given me a broad view and have tenderized my soul as far as my own senses are concerned - but does not mean I'm ready to be served for supper.
The
creativity shown in my past projects can be
judged by using the links to the left.
Evidence
of delivering my proposals and products within the allotted time and
meeting deadlines can be distilled from the fact that one project
followed another - often working on five, or so, projects at the same
time - as can be seen in my resume.
As to my
experience: I have participated in a number of
teams - in a various of situations - those which have been in
collaboration with highway departments are with the aesthetic design
team of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water
Management - for the aesthetic proposals for Highway A15 (art in highway
environment*) - and with the Provincial Department Traffic and
Transportation of Zuid-Holland. My land art project, 'homage to El
Lissitzky', in Lelystad in the FlevoPolder was realised in cooperation
with National Road and Transport Department of The Netherlands. And,
since most of the projects which I have done are environmental and
landscape projects, I have lots of experience in working with various
project groups and teams in a variety of fields. As you can see, I hope,
my English is as good as perfect - the flaws are due to my American
education.
The
working methodology which I practice
is to first see and study a given location on the spot, to return when
necessary while I prepare my visual analysis, gather al the information
I need from any source I can find - the most obvious being the parties
involved, participate in meetings and hearings pertaining to the part
for which I have been contracted, discuss my ideas with specialised
parties participating in the project, read up on the history and
geography of the location(s) through which the road has been planned -
and present my ideas along the journey in order not to be working on
ideas which are not realizable - unless I can prove that they are
actually achievable.
My experience of actively engaging with community groups
has evolved over many years. Anticipating what the wishes and reactions
of the users and interested public are, and what remarks are to be
expected, help in preparing a presentation. Thirty five years of
worthwhile experiences have proven to me that understanding and
identifying with the public has helped in agreeing upon seemingly
contradicting views. In the city of Ede, where the people living around
my new urban oasis project had launched a very negative press campaign
against my work, they themselves applauded after listening to and
discussing my hour-and-a-half long visual presentation of my previous
environmental works and intentions and expectations for my present
project.
The record of my
compatibility with the project teams has been good - and in some
cases even perfect. I can replace myself into the situations of others -
even my adversaries - and help them do the same as far as my views are
concerned. They do not always agree with me but discussion remains
possible. And because decisions are usually made by a group, I have
achieved many of my goals. Never has anyone, including myself, broken
off the discussion.
I hope that I
have answered your questions sufficiently to enable you to reach a good judgment as far is my
work and person are concerned.
Lucien den Arend
*In my study for the A15 a point of study was the relation between the two opposites: distraction and boredom.
web design © Lucien den Arend
Seppäläntie 860
51200 Kangasniemi Finland
telephone +358 44 2641212
