Sunnyvale Arts Commission forwards top three Plaza Del Sol public‑art proposals to City Council

The Sunnyvale Arts Commission on May 13 reviewed five semifinalist proposals for public art at Plaza Del Sol Phase 2 and unanimously approved a motion to forward its ranked top three recommendations to the City Council for final selection on June 2, 2026.

Staff told the commission the Plaza Del Sol Phase 2 project will add a children’s play area, spray misters, a covered garage ramp, additional seating and Wi‑Fi. The public‑art allocation was increased from the project’s 1% provision (about $21,000) by an additional $79,000 from the public art fund, creating a $100,000 art budget. Staff said $10,000 of that sum will pay design stipends for finalists; the remaining amount is the artist commission and is intended to be all‑inclusive, covering construction and installation costs.

Commissioners heard five presentations from semifinalist artists and teams, asked technical and maintenance questions, and discussed how each design would affect daytime use and evening activation of the plaza. Charles Gattigan, who introduced himself during the meeting, described his proposal Entwine Cloud as a suspended, kinetic canopy made of thousands of UV‑stable light cubes. Gattigan said the LED modules are robust and that, in his experience, bulbs have lifespans measured in tens of thousands of hours; “they’re pretty easy to replace,” he told commissioners.

Luminess Waveforms, represented by a collaborative team including Victoria and Phil Spittler, proposed a suspended, parametric metal structure with sealed LED neon tubing designed to provide daytime color from painted metal fins and slow, curated light ‘waves’ at night. The team discussed prototype benches and community engagement strategies, and said the silicone‑encased LED tubing they use is rated for long service life.

Mandy Palasic offered a lightweight undulating canopy made from airline‑cable suspension and linear LED modules. Palasic said the design emphasizes daylight form (colored metal elements) and nighttime programming through curated presets; she told commissioners the LED modules specified meet the 25‑year expected lifespan cited in the RFQ and that final color and intensity would be refined with community input.

James Peterson presented a nest‑inspired, experiential sculpture using rolled stainless‑steel tubes and Coda XT polycarbonate panels, with LED neon mounted along inner edges. Peterson emphasized modular fabrication, maintenance documentation and safety testing, and said damaged panels would be replaceable.

A fifth finalist, Studio Folia (artist James Den), was not present; staff provided a stand‑in summary of a design called Radiant Ripples that shows concentric perforated tubes creating a warm, star‑like night glow. Staff cautioned commissioners that finalists submitted conceptual designs at this stage and that engineering and final details would follow if a contract were awarded.

After extended discussion of durability, sightlines, community workshops and the balance between daytime presence and evening activation, commissioners announced their numerical rankings. Staff tallied the ballots and read the computed averages; commissioners then voted on a motion to accept the rankings and forward the commission’s top three recommendations to the City Council. The motion passed 5–0.

The commission directed staff to send the ranked recommendations to City Council on June 2; staff said the selected artist will work with city staff on engineering, community engagement and maintenance plans, with an estimated installation of early spring 2027. The commission also noted that the artist contract will require maintenance documentation and a community engagement component.

The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.