
CITY OF CINCINNATI DISTRICT 3 POLICE STATION | ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN
Working with Emersion Design and the City of Cincinnati, we designed interior and exterior public art installations that highlight neighborhoods represented by Cincinnati’s District 3 Police Station.
We were asked to join Emersion Design and the City of Cincinnati in facilitating public design workshops and, ultimately, to design a series of public art features for the District 3 Police Station located on the west side of Cincinnati. First, we initiated a series of public art workshops with representatives from each of the District’s 14 neighborhoods. Each representative helped guide us on defining characteristics of their neighborhood. Then, we developed a series of features to celebrate each neighborhood’s individuality while showing unity and pride for the District.
A series of 14 columns, one for each neighborhood, was part of the original Emersion architectural design. They are different sizes and heights but all combine to form an entry promenade to the new station. We worked with public representatives to create a design that allowed each neighborhood to be unique. But, when combined, also creates a dynamic, energetic feature celebrating the diversity, values, and uniqueness of the District 3 constituents.
The final design incorporates programmable, colored LED lighting in each neighborhood column. Combined with the columns, this unique light feature highlights the individuality of each neighborhood and creates a unified statement. The light sculpture is intended to change periodically. Custom programs can be designed by various neighborhood groups such as boy scouts, schools, religious organizations, etc.
A custom, solid-surface map serves as the entry focal point to the station. The map acts as both a wall sculpture and a functional map that delineates the individual neighborhoods. Topographical information is exaggerated to illustrate how geographical features define most of the neighborhood boundaries. The bas-relief feature also depicts color-coded locations of important neighborhood buildings and parks.