The Community Foundation of Broward and representatives from the Broward YMCA and the City of Lauderhill, recently commissioned Professor Jacek Kolasinski (FIU Art + Art History) and Professor Roberto Rovira (FIU Landscape) from FIU’s College of Communication, Architectures and the Arts (CARTA), to transform and enhance an unfriendly, littered highway overpass and into a public art space for local students and residents.
Initiated back in 2013, the “Own the Overpath” project, envisioned a new concept for the Florida Turnpike overpass and its surrounding areas by introducing large scale colorful structures that provide shelter and protection to the community.
Since 2011, over 200 police reports of assault, robberies and intimidation occurred the existing bridge that connected the Lauderhill neighborhoods, prompting the public art initiative.
Students of Lauderhill Middle School and members of the Broward youth development programs were the most impacted by the social and academic barriers this pedestrian bridge created.
In late 2017, Kolasinski and Rovira, lead designers and artists of the project, began the commissioned installation by gathering family, friends and local YMCA volunteers to add 250,000 multi-colored zip ties to add to the large scale structures.
The colorful design reflects directly the identity of the surrounding community and youth.
Watch below the video published by FIU on Feb 8, 2018:
Lead Designers: Roberto Rovira & Jacek Kolasinski
Assistants: Amanda Vargas-Love, Nick Gilmore, Andrea Sandoval, Joe Locke
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