BRIGHTON PLACE
POWAY CA
There are four areas of art at Brighton Place.
Hats in History,
the Plow,
the Pump
and the Windicator sculpture.
“Windicator” moves when the wind blows. It is contemporary in its abstracted gestural paint and geometry. The base holds in homage, three galvanized blades like the kind from a wind mill. The kind that would have pumped water before the municipal structure. The bottom pattern is derived from the Navajo symbol for wind.
There are 8 Hats in History plaques. I chose fashion as a fitting way to generate dialog about history, using hats in particular. In each case I had to find a small grouping of words that would make a interesting poignant statement. Vaqueros, bonnet, bowler, military, woven Native American, conductors cap, fancy ladies, Stetson. There is an art map in the community room of the complex.
Poway was a farming community and showing an antique piece of agriculture equipment that someone could actually touch was my way of making that connection. Plants grow up and through this obsolete farming machine. Native plants reclaim their space.
Within the gridded stainless steel cage are two panels of text that have some glass jewel-like beads. Not only do they glisten like water, but represent the preciousness of water. “This pump draws water from a crack in the granite hundreds of feet below us to irrigate our landscape plants. The opposite side; “Water for our homes is imported from the Colorado River and Northern California”
The well waters all the plants at Brighton Place. This is exemplified by a fanciful display pump which waters a peach tree (everyday at 3:33). The pump handle reads “Handle is disabled, but imagine the muscle it took to draw one’s daily water- like going to the gym”.
Brighton Place is a new construction large family apartment project with 77 apartments located in Poway CA built in 2012. One block east of Midland Road between Edgemoor Street and Brighton Way.
The project has close proximity to areas to work, schools, and major retail outlets, library, cultural institutions, Old Poway Park and the Veterans Memorial. Brighton Place’s extensive resident services program offering computer, ESL, and financial literacy classes, after-school tutoring, career exploration, and youth sports which support, and empowerment Poway’s low-income households.
Residents enjoy a community garden with citrus trees. Art placed in a public setting invigorates a living environment. Tot-lots, picnic areas and a private park.
A "Craftsman" style aesthetic blends in with the surrounding Old Poway neighborhood.
The complex is in accordance with the Build It Green Multi-family GreenPoint Program. An on site photo voltaic system reduces common area and residential
