At night, the walls of the underpass will be washed with colorful lighting.
Traveling Mill Avenue between Broadway Road and Apache Boulevard is about to get a lot more vibrant with the addition of a new large-scale public art piece coming to the existing railroad underpass next spring.
The art, titled “Sun Garden,” includes nature-inspired sculptural elements that will stretch upward from the existing terraced planters along the west side of the underpass. The sculptures’ translucent material is designed to catch sunlight and project colored shadows along adjacent surfaces, changing throughout the day as the sun rises and sets.
A national artist competition was held to select the artist for this significant installation. Arizona-based artist Joseph O’Connell and Creative Machines, Inc. were chosen to design the project, and fabrication is currently underway. Tempe Public Art hosted several public meetings with the surrounding neighborhood and Tempe High School to gather input about the design.
In total, the artwork includes 15 sculptures made from steel and a colored polycarbonate material. The design was inspired by the many gardens in the surrounding neighborhood. After power is added to the site, lighting features will be installed to wash the walls of the underpass in color at night.
This regionally distinct project will bring the highly trafficked underpass to life in a dramatic way. For many travelers, this stretch of road serves as a gateway to Downtown Tempe and Arizona State University. Approximately 18,000 vehicles travel the underpass daily in addition to the pedestrian and bike traffic in this corridor, which encompasses Tempe High School and Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital.
“This brand new public art piece will serve as a distinct marker, not just for this vibrant neighborhood, but also for the thousands that pass through the underpass on their way to an exciting play at ASU Gammage, a meal in Downtown Tempe or simply to work or school,” said Mayor Corey Woods. “We’re excited to bring this space to life in a way that showcases our city’s creativity and values while paying homage to the surrounding community.”
Preliminary construction work to prepare the site for sculpture and lighting installation is already underway. Improvements to the planters and concrete walls will occur throughout the summer and fall. The sculptures are slated for installation in spring 2025. Intermittent traffic lane closures are anticipated during construction to ensure safe installation.
Over the last several years, the Tempe City Council has been increasing reinvestments in parks, streets, public art and more. This Refresh Tempe initiative aims to add and maintain Tempe amenities and infrastructure in order to improve quality of life for all community members. The project also aligns with the Tempe Arts + Culture Plan, which calls for signature works of public art.
