Artist asked to refine city‑hall public art placement after mixed council reaction

Artist Mark Fornes presented two design options for the planned public artwork on Richardson’s municipal campus during the council meeting on June 16, then heard mixed reaction from council members who asked Fornes to return with alternate site renderings and material samples.

Why this matters: Council members want a memorable, resilient piece that enhances the civic plaza and the view between the new city hall council chamber and the library while avoiding maintenance or safety problems in Richardson’s Texas climate.

What the artist proposed - Fornes showed an original “carousel”‑style canopy and a revised “music kiosk” canopy. Both are intended as place‑making canopies sited near the fountain between the library and new council chambers. - The revised kiosk keeps a strong visual signal but shifts structural columns toward the canopy edge to preserve sightlines and increase transparency between the buildings. Fornes said the canopy would be made of powder‑coated aluminum, with a height around 24–26 feet and a diameter comparable to the fountain (about 53 feet). - He described maintenance as routine rinsing rather than aggressive power‑washing and said lighter pigments (white/off‑white powder coat) were chosen to minimize heat gain and color fade.

Council reaction and next steps - Several council members said the original carousel concept felt more iconic and asked whether the design could be placed elsewhere on the municipal campus so the campus composition and sightlines remain intact. Other members favored locating the piece aligned with the fountain and the council chambers to create a signature civic gathering space. - Council asked Fornes to provide: (1) renderings of the favored designs in alternate locations on the municipal campus (including the adjacent lawn area), (2) material samples and maintenance information showing how the finished powder coating performs under Texas sun and whether surfaces become dangerously hot to the touch, and (3) nighttime lighting concepts (uplighting from recessed well lights rather than fixtures mounted on the structure). - Staff said they will coordinate a follow‑up presentation; Fornes suggested a roughly one‑month timeline to return with refined renderings and samples.

Context and technical notes - Fornes said his studio has installed similar powder‑coated aluminum canopies in other hot climates and can provide examples for the council to inspect. He said the canopy pieces are built as a “puzzle” of many mechanically joined aluminum parts, avoiding on‑site welding; that allows onsite assembly without heavy cranes. - Fornes told the council the canopy decks are designed to be structurally engineered and stamped locally and that the project team used a white powder‑coat to reduce solar absorption and color fading.

Outcome: The council did not vote on a final design. The council directed the artist to return with alternate location renderings and material samples; staff will schedule the follow‑up briefing.