unchARTed will transform two alleys in Downtown Frederick, MD for one year.

A design competition and installation, unchARTed is sponsored by Downtown Frederick Partnership in cooperation with the Potomac Valley Architecture Foundation, AIA Potomac Valley and the Frederick Arts Council.

A national design competition conducted in November 2019 resulted in the selection of three projects for implementation: Happy StripeColorful Frederick and Maxwell Flow. While initially planned for installation in the same seven day period in May 2020, installation was delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Happy Stripe was installed in November 2020 and Colorful Frederick installed in April 2021. These installations will be in place for about one year. Installation of Maxwell Flow began in January 2021, but faced technical difficulties which have paused this project for the time being. Each installation responds to the unchARTed project goals of attracting locals and visitors to Downtown Frederick, activating the sometimes forgotten “between” spaces in Downtown Frederick and creating stimulating interactive experiences that are memorable.

Happy Stripe


 
Artist: Kiki Goti
Studio: SomePeople
Artisan Partner: Fire and Wire Welding

Happy Stripe is a site-specific installation designed as a medium of activation for the alley, aiming to intrigue the passengers and encourage them to pass through it. It is a playful linear structure made out of a steel frame and hanging nylon ropes. It acts as a vibrant stripe that brings life to the alley and stimulates passengers’ curiosity. An augmented reality application is designed as part of the installation, engaging the public both physically and digitally. The installation highlights the urban and architectural characteristics of the specific lot and tries to have a dialogue with the existing context. View original Design Board here.

Project installed in November 2020.

Explore the Virtual Reality App connect from anywhere

Colorful Frederick


 
Studio: Volkert Inc.
Artisan Partner: Morgan-Keller Construction

Our vision transforms the car-centric space to a vibrant, colorful pedestrian-friendly environment, a visual announcement: Colorful Frederick. Whether one experiences arriving by car, walking through or past the alley, or leaving the parking garage – the intentional impact of being in this transformed space is invigorating and memorable.

The parking garage driveway features a series of structures that define the outdoor spaces leading someone into the alley. A series of pergolas over the sidewalk create outdoor rooms for people to walk through. Colorful marine ropes provide a visually interactive experience in the landscape as the viewer’s eye is attracted to the alley by the interplay of color, filtered light, and sight-lines. View original design concept here.

Project installed in April 2021.

unchARTed in the News


 

Happy Stripe Installation / SomePeople

By Paula Pintos • Mar 13, 2021

The Downtown Frederick Partnership in cooperation with the Potomac Valley Architecture Foundation, AIA Potomac Valley and the Frederick Arts Council sponsored a design competition in November of 2019 for spatial installations in specific alleys that would better link the downtown urban fabric… KEEP READING

Week in Tech: Stefano Boeri Architetti’s COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign

Plus, IKEA’s Gingerbread Hömes, SomePeople’s AR installation, record-breaking emissions from buildings, and more design-tech news from the week.

By Madeleine D’Angelo • Dec 18, 2020

Former Next Progressives firm SomePeople, founded by Kiki Goti, has completed an augmented reality installation in a narrow alley that aims to highlight the often-overlooked architectural elements and help revitalize the city of Frederick, MD… KEEP READING

SomePeople designed a vibrant-pink urban installation, powered by AR

By Francesca Grillo • January 26, 2021

SomePeople, New York-based art and design studio, created a vibrant-pink urban sculpture in an abandoned alley in Downtown Frederick, Maryland. Happy Stripe is one of three projects selected in the 2019 competition for spatial installations in specific alleys with the aim to enhance the urban fabric… KEEP READING

Entering ‘unchARTed’ territory: Newest downtown art installation aims to ‘activate’ alleys

By Graham Cullen • Nov 20, 2020

During a vacation to Chattanooga, Tennessee, Kara Norman discovered a design competition to enliven public spaces, an idea she decided to bring back to Frederick… KEEP READING

SomePeople brings augmented reality alley art to Frederick, Maryland

By Jonathan Hilburg • Dec 22, 2020

Wedged between two buildings in Downtown Frederick, Maryland, the New York-based art and design studio SomePeople has installed a swooping, curvilinear net sculpture that doubles as an interactive augmented realty (AR) game… KEEP READING

Competition seeks artists to design installations for downtown alleyways

By Crystal Schelle • Sep 25, 2019

Alleys are often thought of as pavement to pass from one place to another. But a new design competition, called unchARTed, is looking to change the way people interact with alleyways in Downtown Frederick… KEEP READING

National Competition / Design Background


 

The Partnership and our partners launched unchARTed in November 2019 with a national design competition. The competition brief asked entrants to propose a design installation for pre-identified Downtown Frederick alleys. The Partnership had secured the permission of the alley property owners prior to launching the competition. Entrants were asked to propose ideas that responded to the unchARTed project goals of attracting locals and visitors to Downtown Frederick, activating the sometimes forgotten between spaces in Downtown Frederick and creating stimulating interactive experiences that are memorable.

Originally, the competition planned for all three projects to be installed in one seven day period in May 2020. The pandemic impacted these plans and the installations were constructed at different times over the following months. The installations are temporary, physically in place for about one year. 

The Partnership granted three awards of $10,000 each for implementation. A Design Jury (see below) reviewed the anonymous submissions looking for projects that had a high level of design quality, related to the specific site and best met the project goals. A total of 21 submissions were received from entrants across the United States and in the Frederick region. The Design Jury recommendations were forwarded to a Local Panel (see below) to review for feasibility and to assist with the local review/approval process. All projects have received all necessary approvals including Public Art Commission review, Historic Preservation Commission review and required City permits.

Design Jury

Jared Hueter, AIA (view bio)


Founder and Principal, Ally Architecture

Holly Koons (view bio)


Executive Director, Arlington Arts Center

Paola Moya, Assoc. AIA & IIDA (view bio)


CEO + Founder, Moya Design Partners

Peter Noonan, AIA LEED AP (view bio)


Principal, McInturff Architects

Trini Rodriquez, RLA, AICP (view bio)


President, Parker Rodriquez

 

Local Panel

C. Marty Bates, AIA; President, Bates Architects, LLC

Karin Birch, artist

Marc Feinstein, AIA; AIA Potomoc Valley; Principal, Miner Feinstein Architects

Louise Kennelly; Executive Director, Frederick Arts Council

Scott Knudson, AIA; Potomac Valley Architecture Foundation; Principal, Knu Design

Kara Norman; Executive Director, Downtown Frederick Partnership

 

 

Each year, the Partnership tackles strategic initiatives to bring more residents and employees to Downtown Frederick, offers an exciting season of events and works closely with downtown businesses and partners to continue to strengthen and improve Downtown Frederick.