Moreland Rising
You have arrived in a special place. It is anchored by a rich history and positioned for a bright
future. That is what public art in the Moreland neighborhood is designed to announce.
Earlier this year, a call went out to artists, architects, landscape architects, design students, and design professionals,
inviting proposals for the creation of visible, noteworthy neighborhood gateways and historic markers that would engender
pride of place, embody cultural and social identities, and define a dynamic neighborhood steeped in history and poised for
growth, both residential and commercial.
Designs could include public art, structural elements, landscaping, signage, lighting, furniture, or any distinctive
landmark feature or element that announces the arrival into the neighborhood and celebrates the important history
within the community.
When the Public Art Committee, made up of residents with expertise in the arts, evaluated
proposals in early April, one Gateway and one Historic Marker proposal rose to the top.
Committee members agreed that these concepts captured the spirit of the community and
the importance of the neighborhood.
Shaker resident Scott Goss submitted the winning proposal in the Gateway
category. He proposed the construction of 29 welded steel doors (pictured
opposite), each modeled after a front door found in the neighborhood. Goss
was inspired by the diversity of architecture in Moreland and throughout
Shaker Heights. His concept invites viewers to interact with the doors
by finding styles most similar to their own. The doors will form two towers
representing the gabled style houses common in Moreland, and which will
create a large scale uppercase M,
for Moreland. Goss has been working
as an artist for more than 12 years and
has had work in numerous solo, invitational,
and juried exhibitions.
His work can be seen at the Cleveland Clinic,
Welcome
to this
Special
Place
Cleveland State University, and in private collections throughout the
United States.
Charlotte Lees’ proposal for a colorful sculpture that combines a
contemporary design with historic visuals was the winner in the Historic
Marker category. The work would invite visitors to walk around it and view the
message from several perspectives.
Preliminary sketches reference building blocks of the community that
would use images and words to help the viewer interact with the work.
Lees works primarily with bronze, steel, aluminum, concrete, and wood. Her
work on many other public art commissions and community service projects
demonstrated an understanding of the importance of seeking input from the
community to refine her concept. Her work (a previous example is pictured at
right) can be seen in the collections of MetroHealth Hospitals, the Cleveland
Clinic, University Hospitals, and Akron Children’s Hospital.
Both winning designs honor the neighborhood’s rich historic character,
reflect the diversity represented in its residents and businesses, and provide
a distinct identity to one of the City’s neighborhoods. The concepts activate
important entry points into the neighborhood and invite visitors to honor
significant places and spaces within its borders.
The location of the gateways and the historic markers will be determined
once the designs are finalized. Work is underway to secure funding for the
creation and installation of the work.
Partners on this project were Ingenuity Cleveland and Kent State
University’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative. A special Ingenuity
Innovation Award was given to Kent, Ohio-based Nelson Morris for his concept
of creating stone replicas of residents, capturing a snapshot
of the neighborhood.
Each winner received a $500 prize.
12 SUMMER 2018 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
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