Public Art Competition

In the 2012-2013 academic year, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study launched an annual competition to highlight the potential of public art, and the visual arts in general, to contribute to intellectual conversations at Harvard and beyond. 

The competition was open to all students enrolled in a Harvard degree program, and provided them with a unique opportunity to design and build a site-specific installation for prominent display in Radcliffe Yard on a 72’ x 54’ site equipped with water, drainage, electricity, Internet access, and seating. The installation site borders Brattle Street, between Buckingham House and Putnam House in Radcliffe Yard, and is across the street from American Repertory Theater's Loeb Drama Center. 

Bold, provocative designs were encouraged and the jury of distinguished Harvard faculty assessed submissions on the basis of creativity, and construction and budget feasibility.  

Congratulations to Harvard Graduate School of Design students Keojin Jin MDesS '14 and Juhun Lee MDesS '14 for creating the winning design, "Saturate the Moment." The students will receive funding to construct their public art installation the summer of 2013.  It will be unveiled on October 28 at the Radcliffe Institute. 

Download the Radcliffe Institute Public Art Competition Brief (PDF)

If you have any questions, please contact publicart@radcliffe.harvard.edu or call 617-496-2118.

Rules and Regulations

These rules and regulations may change at any time, at the discretion of the Radcliffe Institute.

Eligibility:

The competition is open to all students currently enrolled in a Harvard degree program. In the case of teams, all team members must be currently enrolled in a Harvard degree program. 

The winner must be present July–August to oversee the construction process. In the case of teams, a point person must be nominated to oversee construction, in collaboration with the Radcliffe Institute, during this time period.

Ownership:

The student or team of students will retain all rights to the idea and design. The Radcliffe Institute retains all rights to the submitted materials (board, description, and budget), as well as to the final installation and all related materials. Radcliffe reserves the right to display, photograph, or otherwise record all submitted materials.

Building:

The installation must be capable of withstanding all weather conditions and remaining in place for one year. 

No changes may be made to any existing trees, plantings, or landscape elements (light fixtures, walkways, benches, etc.). The installation must be respectful of all existing plantings and trees around the stone dust plaza. The maximum depth for digging in the stone dust plaza is 6”. The completed installation must be contained within the dimensions of the stone dust plaza (72’ x 54’). 

Equipment access is limited to a small bobcat from the access road next to Putnam House.

All submissions must be compliant with the City of Cambridge laws and regulations, as well as those regulations stipulated by the Radcliffe Institute and Harvard University.

Schedule

November 30, 2012:

Deadline to register online 

January 30, 2013:

Submissions due

February 2013:

Selection jury meeting to determine a short list

March 2013:

Vetting of short list with relevant Harvard departments and consultants

May 2013:

Announcement of winning design. Congratulations to Harvard Graduate School of Design students Keojin Jin MDesS '14 and Juhun Lee MDesS '14 for creating the winning design, "Saturate the Moment." 

July–August 2013:

Construction of installation

September 2013:

Installation opening

June 2014:

Removal of installation from space

Jury

• Lizabeth Cohen, Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
• Anita Berrizbeitia, Professor of Landscape Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design
• Chris Reed, Adjunct Professor of Landscape Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design and Principal, Stoss Landscape Urbanism
• Jennifer L. Roberts, Professor of History Art and Architecture and Chair, Program in the History of American Civilization, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• David Rodowick, Chair and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Visual and Environmental Studies, Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
• Diana Sorensen, Dean of Arts and Humanities, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences and James F. Rothenberg Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and of Comparative Literature, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences

About the Site

The installation site was created as part of Radcliffe’s comprehensive Landscape Masterplan, which called for the renovation of the entirety of Radcliffe Yard. 

The site is located in Radcliffe Yard, bordering Brattle Street, between Buckingham House and Putnam House. It is bounded an all sides by vegetation and can be seen from the street and from the yard. The installation space is 72’ x 54’, paved with compacted stone dust and equipped with water, drainage, electricity, Internet access, and seating. 

Budget

The winning submission will be given a budget of $35,000 with which to build the installation. This budget must include procurement of all materials, labor costs, equipment rentals, installation, and removal, as well as restoration of any changes made to the garden (i.e., stone dust must be replaced if the installation requires digging in the space). The Radcliffe Institute will supervise the use of this budget throughout the process.

Award

The winning student or team of students will be awarded a $5,000 honorarium. In the case of teams, this award will be split equally among all members.

Registration

Online registration is required for each student or team of students and must be completed by November 30, 2012.

Only one registration per team is required; students submitting in teams should nominate a point person, who will be able to provide contact information for all teammates on the registration form.

Submission

Submissions are due by January 30, 2013.

Delivered in hard copy to Room 210 in Fay House, 10 Garden Street, Cambridge: 

• one 24” x 36” vertical board, to include
• a verbal description of the design vision (500 words or less) 
• two perspectives or cross-sections of the design plan, and 
• signed consent forms from all team members

and

Delivered electronically to publicart@radcliffe.harvard.edu: 

• written description of the design vision (500 words or less)
• line-by-line cost estimate, and 
• detailed plan for taking the project from vision to reality

The jury will look favorably on submissions that feature realistic, specific plans for construction within the given budget and schedule.