Request for Qualifications: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Educational Display

Project Overview

Summary

A functional, interactive, and creative installation that engages and educates residents about Green Stormwater Infrastructure at Walnut Creek Wetland Park
The project budget is $25,000
Qualifications must be submitted by 10 a.m. on June 28, 2021. There is no fee to submit qualifications.
Up to three semi-finalists will be selected for interviews and will interview remotely via Zoom and be paid a $100 stipend.
Read the full request for qualifications (RFQ), including information about the selection process
Apply online

Eligibility

This opportunity is open to individuals and teams who live or work in North Carolina.
Applicants must be either a United States citizen or a permanent legal resident and be at least 18 years of age.
Applicants must have at least a three-year history of professional practice.
Applicants must have demonstrated experience in design through the creation of high-quality work.
Lead applicants cannot be enrolled in an undergraduate course of study as of January 1, 2021.

Project Details

The City of Raleigh is installing two Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) projects, including a gravel wetland and a linear bioretention, along Peterson St at Walnut Creek Wetland Park. The wetland will include an underground gravel reservoir that'll hold and filter stormwater runoff. Plant roots in the wetland will soak up and clean the water. The gravel wetland also will slow down the flow of stormwater before it reaches Walnut Creek.

The City seeks a professional to create educational work about the GSI that invites community interaction. The education can take place through signs, poetry, visual depictions of stormwater conveyance and treatment, and/or native wetland plant species and wildlife or other means.

About the Green Stormwater Infrastructure

Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) uses natural and built landscape features to capture stormwater runoff and filter out pollutants that would otherwise go to storm drains and streams.

Goals & Opportunities

The display will educate residents about the wetland and green stormwater infrastructure.
The display will create a community gathering space/amenity, preferably through the use of functional and interactive elements, that invites residents to stop, learn, and enjoy the stormwater features.
The display must be floodproof as it is expected to be sited in or near a floodplain and may need to withstand floods or temporary standing water.
The display is expected to be permanent (lasting at least 20 years) but can include some small temporary interventions such as sidewalk paintings as well
The applicant is encouraged to think of ways to involve the community either through workshops, help with painting, or installation of temporary or permanent displays.
The display will be sited near a greenway and should take into account interaction on a pedestrian scale.

Applicants are encouraged to work with local fabricators to realize their vision. We have a talented pool of welders, metalsmiths, foundries, programmers, and general contractors here in the Triangle to partner with to bring a concept to life.

Location

The subsurface gravel wetland and linear bioretention will be constructed in highly visible areas to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic along Peterson Street and the Little Rock Trail (image right).

The area is host to a range of stormwater projects; including the soon to be installed subsurface gravel wetland and nearby linear bioretention cell, and the existing cistern, permeable pavement, and rain garden located across the street at the Norman and Betty Camp Education Center (located within Walnut Creek Wetland Park). The project is also located next to Carnage Middle School and less than 1 mile away from Fuller Elementary School.

The applicant is encouraged to think about placing a permanent educational display primarily at the gravel wetland but also potentially near the bioretention location, as well as possible temporary community murals along the nearby sidewalks/curbs or stream fencing. The City is especially interested in a display that is functional, interactive, and engages nearby neighbors and passersby to stop, learn, and enjoy the stormwater features.

Deadline

All materials must be received no later than Monday, June 28 at 10 a.m. EST. Incomplete or late submittals will not be considered.

Budget

The budget for the project is $25,000 inclusive of all expenses including community engagement meetings/strategies, design, fabrication, installation, travel, taxes, and fees.

Application

Those wishing to be considered must submit the following materials online:

Statement of Interest
Outlining your connection to or interest in this project and how you foresee engaging with the community, how your work might translate to this project and the experience you have working on public projects. You can submit this information as either a 500 word (or less) written statement OR a two-minute or less audio or video clip. We will only play the first two minutes of audio for the panel.
Biography
A biography of no more than one page that includes information regarding your practice, experience, and education. If applying as a team, submit a single file containing separate biographies for each team member.
Three Professional References
Contact information for three references including name, title and affiliation, phone number, and email address. References should be able to speak to your ability to provide services for a public project or artwork of similar scope.
Previous Work, Digital Images
Eight digital images of recent work. Each image should include title, year, media, location, project budget, dimensions, commissioning agency, and collaborators or design professionals (if applicable). Applicants can also choose to submit renderings/sketches of how their work could translate to a public project. Please do not submit specific proposals for this project as any concept design will need input from the design team and community.

Do not provide or submit any other materials with your application. They will not be reviewed by the panel and will not be returned.