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Los Alamos presenters pitch suspended-orb art screen for Fire Station 4, board asks for public input and specs
Summary
County staff and architect presented a conceptual public-art ‘screen’ for Fire Station 4 that would use suspended orbs to commemorate three regional fires. Board members raised durability, safety and community-sensitivity concerns and asked staff to return with specs, community outreach and cost estimates.
Los Alamos County staff and the project architect presented a concept for a public-art screen at the new Fire Station 4, asking the Art and Public Places (APP) Advisory Board for guidance on next steps.
Sylvia Sejeda, project manager in public works capital projects and facilities, said the construction documents for the station are nearing completion and that the county is preparing procurement and construction-management steps. “We are in the middle of finalizing our construction document phase right now,” Sejeda said, adding that planning-and-zoning approvals and earlier public input informed the current design.
Architect David Grooms described a three-sided, three-dimensional grid of suspended orbs intended to sit adjacent to the station’s gym and outdoor deck. The orbs would be arranged proportionally to acreage affected by three local wildfires and would include some orbs that change color to represent homes or structures lost. “The idea is to memorialize the three recent wildfires — Las Conchas, Cerro Pilato and Cerro Grande — and to create an interactive experience that also helps filter views into the facility,” Grooms said.
Why it matters: APP program policy and the county’s capital-improvement planning mean the project’s art allocation will come from a percentage set aside of the construction budget; how that money is used determines whether this installation is feasible and acceptable to the community.
Board members pressed for practical and community-oriented details. Several members questioned the durability and safety of glass or ceramic orbs in high winds and raised the possibility of golf-ball impacts on the side facing the nearby course. Grooms said the suspended elements would be tightly restrained — “really not gonna move more than a half an inch or so” — and estimated the cabling and structural hardware could fall in the “$30,000–$40,000” range, while the cost of orbs would vary widely depending on materials and whether some orbs were handmade.
Budget and procurement: Staff reminded the board that the Art and Public Places program is funded by a one-percent set‑aside in approved construction budgets. Members discussed differing numbers in the discussion; presenters said they would provide clear, written budget figures with future specifications. Grooms said that much of the cost variance will come from the orb material and that some elements could be made affordably while feature pieces might be more costly.
Community engagement and sensitivity: A board member noted a recent community survey that favored functional art (murals and similar treatments) over abstract installations. Another board member warned that representing homes lost in a memorial could be traumatic for people who were displaced. Members urged staff to plan robust public education and outreach — including explanatory materials and a public meeting — so residents understand the piece’s intent.
Next steps: The board asked staff and the architect to return with more detailed specifications and outreach plans. Presenters proposed a January check-in to outline a community-engagement approach and a February on-site meeting and survey; staff suggested APP could receive revised specs in February and, depending on survey results, the board could act in March. Sejeda said the county can stage elements of the installation during construction or add pieces later if timing or budgets require.
The APP chair said the board is not rejecting the concept but needs more detail before formal approval. The presenters agreed to prepare multiple variations for community review, technical specifications (including vibration and damping details), and clearer cost breakdowns for the board’s next meeting.
What’s next: Staff will present revised specifications and a community-engagement plan at a January meeting; APP scheduled an on-site meeting and public outreach process in February, with a potential decision following survey results in March.
