The Ohio Stater, Arts Implementation Proposal
The location of The Ohio Stater along High Street between Woodruff and Frambes could be better utilized to serve The Ohio State community. Currently, the residential building is set back from High street and has very few architectural details or visual interest. It is essentially a tan box with a parking lot in front. There is a parking lot in front of the residential portion of the building that increases traffic and pedestrian/vehicle interactions in the middle of a busy portion of High Street. The portion of the residential building that runs along High Street is a large blank expanse with a few windows high up and otherwise, adds little to the appeal along High Street. The retaining wall that runs along the parking lot from the lot entrance to the opening of the Ohio Stater Mall is in disrepair and adds little appeal. Because this property is set back from the newer buildings along High street it offers space that could incorporate art installations and other features that would add visual interest to this dead zone and also invite more people to utilize the mall. Art features installed here would liven up this visually dead space on High Street as well as improve the appeal of the businesses that operate out of the basement mall at this location.
The wall and sidewalk in front of the Ohio Stater are crumbling at our feet and are in dire need of some TLC. We thought of some things that we would like to see happen which includes, the use of neon paint and lights to brighten up a dull part of High street. We also thought that this space could benefit from greenery and water. The use of trees and shrubs along the wall could help the city space becoming less hard and more inviting. The idea of covering bad patches of sidewalks with an easily resealable, recycled plastic would be a great way to use our own trash to build a better and more pretty city.
Another thought that can improve the surrounding vitality is by creating an open area for students to offer different ideas and art works that can be shown in front of the hotel’s gate. The students can promote their thinking and make it into a art exhibition that would develop a great artistic atmosphere around the campus. The walls could be also painted as a graffiti art that connect to the theme of that time period like Christmas or something else. The hotel owner could determine the orientation by the certain festival in order develop the sense of belonging and warmth.
Arts and cultural planning is an increasingly important option for revitalizing urban areas. In particular, public arts have the potential to bring communities together by communicating artistic values and ideas. The Ohio Stater is passed by many students and Columbus residents every day. From general observations, this area lacks aesthetic, color, and space. Arts revitalization can impact this area by making it more aesthetically pleasing. This can be achieved by adding green space, or environmental aesthetic concepts, such as trees and vines. It can also utilize public art space by using some sort of projector. The projector can circulate different art pieces by students, residents, or global artists. These two simple options for arts revitalization can draw more people to this area by utilizing public art
