Indianapolis Airport Terminal's Floor Design Remains Sketchy

Nov. 8, 2005
The look of the floor has kindled debate among project designers and the board that oversees the airport.

Nov. 7--Perhaps never before has the design of a floor been draped in so much intrigue.

To be sure, this floor is hardly ordinary: The terrazzo surface will greet the feet of millions of travelers each year near the security checkpoints in the new passenger terminal at Indianapolis International Airport.

The look of the floor has kindled debate among project designers and the board that oversees the airport.

Board members were expected to choose two designs from four suggestions offered by planners and art experts. However, just one of the designs submitted came close to what airport officials were hoping for.

That has forced the artists back to their sketch pads to refine their visions for what is expected to be one of the new terminal's most visible public spaces.

Ranging in size from about 1,000 to 2,000 square feet, the four designs were produced by two artists from Indiana, one from Chicago and one from New York City.

Themes chosen by the artists highlight the state's tradition in amateur athletics, its reputation as a bioscience crossroads, and its wetlands and flowers.

But only the athletics design -- which features various sports in a mosaic by Hammond artist Tom Torluemke -- drew a broad favorable response from the board.

H. Patrick Callahan, the board's vice president, said the competing proposals were by no means unattractive but maybe a little too eccentric and intense for everyday wear-and-tear.

The wetlands theme, by Chicago artist Christopher Tavares Silva, incorporates lots of teals and blues. The bioscience design, by Bloomington's Betsy Stirratt, features ambiguous shapes that resemble living cells. New York artist Nancy Blum's floral take on Central Indiana's future is, well, very vivid and flowery.

"Each had their own distinct style. And I think there was one (Torluemke's) that we all felt was a very good presentation," Callahan said. "With the others, we all just had various reactions to them. I am by no means an art critic, but they were, well... "

Mike Wells, an airport board member, said Torluemke's design was the only one that struck him as being "timeless."

"These works will be there forever," Wells said. "So, if you get something that's too trendy, it might not work five years from now."

None of the designs will be scrapped entirely, said Julia Moore, public art administrator at Blackburn Architects, which is coordinating the effort. Instead, the project's planners are directing the artists to tweak their designs. The amended works are expected within a few weeks.

Torluemke, 46, said his effort took about six weeks of 18-hour days, lots of research and many pots of coffee. But what Torluemke lost in sleep, he could gain in reputation. The design represents his most high-profile effort to date.

"Whenever a mass amount of people can walk over your artwork, that's an experience I've never had," he said.

Debate over the floor design comes as planners move closer to making final decisions on other art displays for the terminal and its hockey stick-shaped concourses, a $1.07 billion project scheduled for completion in late 2008.

Counting the two floor designs, planners expect to approve about 18 to 20 works, including sculptures and mosaics, that will welcome travelers to the terminal, Moore said.

Airport officials have directed at least five artists to further develop their proposals, an indication those artists are front-runners to be commissioned.

The amount of money earmarked for the flooring and other public art is unclear. Other airports have spent between $7 million and $10 million on art.

WHAT'S HAPPENED, WHAT'S NEXT

--This summer, planners asked four artists to submit designs to be incorporated into the flooring of the new terminal at Indianapolis International Airport.

--Proposals were recently presented to airport officials, who hoped to pick two of the designs. But they liked only one, forcing artists to go back and tweak their proposals.

--Airport officials are expected to reveal their final choices by year's end, including art displays in other parts of the terminal.

--The new midfield terminal is slated for completion in late 2008.