Sunnyvale Arts Commission approves Ray King installation for M Social Hotel at 1250 Lakeside Drive

The Sunnyvale Arts Commission voted June 18 to approve a site-specific public artwork for the M Social Hotel at 1250 Lakeside Drive, recommending the project meets the city's Art and Private Development requirements.

The motion to approve the art and private development project, made during the June 18 Arts Commission meeting, passed with three members voting in favor and two excused absences.

The commission considered a proposal coordinated by the developer, Wittick Development Properties, to install an approximately 38-by-39-foot suspended array of 12-inch dichroic glass discs at the hotel's porte-cochere. Kristen Dance, Sunnyvale's public art manager, told commissioners the development is required under Sunnyvale Municipal Code 19.52 (Art and Private Development) to provide public art equal to 1% of the building permit valuation; the presentation included a numeric statement of that requirement but the exact dollar figure cited in the meeting record was inconsistent and is therefore not stated here.

Artist Ray King, joining by Zoom, described the proposed work as a "lenticular lens" made of laminated dichroic glass discs suspended in a lattice so that the piece will change color and appearance from different viewing angles. King said the discs will "glow in just regular light without any additional lighting day or night," and noted the discs' 12-inch diameter correspond visually to a silicon wafer, a nod to the Valley's technology landscape.

Staff acknowledged initial visibility concerns because the installation will be under the hotel overhang roughly 140 feet from the public right-of-way. Chandra Cerrito, who worked with the developer on siting, said staff and the developer explored several alternate locations and concluded that removal of a few driveway trees and the large scale and color-changing properties of the work would create adequate public visibility from Lakeside Drive, the lakeside promenade and adjacent public parking.

Steve Curtin, representing the developer, provided aerial and site-plan images showing public parkland easements, walkways and public parking adjacent to the hotel and said the arrangement would allow multiple public vantage points into the hotel entrance area where the art will be installed.

Commission discussion touched on whether the work would function as public art given its location under the building overhang. Commissioner comments and staff responses emphasized that the work is on the exterior of the building (under the porte-cochere), that plaques and signage would identify the piece as public art, and that benches and other seating near the installation would offer places for the public to stop and view the work.

The commission approved the staff recommendation with a roll-call vote: Commissioner Eskridge, Commissioner Kaufman and Vice Chair Philly voted to approve; two commissioners were excused.

The commission's approval supports the project moving forward under the city's art ordinance; any further permits or conditions tied to building permits and site modifications were not altered by the commission vote and remain subject to planner and building-permit review.

The developer and artist indicated they will coordinate plaque text and final sight-line adjustments with staff prior to installation. No formal timeline for installation was provided during the meeting.