How does a traffic bridge become a community icon and a place for people? This artist-led project, which was a collaboration between the City of Kettering Ohio Department of Transportation and Cliff Garten Studio (CGS), demonstrates how infrastructure can serve a purpose beyond its basic functions, and provide an identity for its community. Connecting the communities of Kettering and Oakwood, CGS’ new Ridgeway Road Bridge, “Foliage,” straddles the Hills and Dales MetroPark by Fredrick Law Olmstead. Seating, screens, and luminaires built into the structure of the bridge highlight view sheds from the bridge deck and create new lines and forms that correlate to the surrounding landscape. Images of the site’s foliage and fauna are arranged in swirling patterns which are laser cut on stainless steel panels that form luminaires marking the top deck of the bridge. CGS led the project with Shayna McConville, Division Manager of Cultural Arts, City of Kettering, Ohio, and Steve Bergstresser, City Engineer and Director of Public Works, drawing design content from engaging with the surrounding community. The successful collaboration between the city, community and artist achieved a seamless integration of art into the bridge.

Maintaining visibility of the rolling hills and the sense of forested landscape was important to the two communities. CGS responded by integrating seating into the bridge’s abutments for gathering and viewing points on both ends of the bridge. CGS considered three experiences of the bridge: the bridge to walk over, the bridge to pass under, and the space between the two ends for pedestrian views. City Engineer, Steve Bergstresser, commented that working on the project with CGS was a “transformative point in his career," because he experienced how “infrastructure could become a place that held people in a meaningful way." Foliage demonstrated how art could be seamlessly integrated into infrastructure through its collaboration with engineering. CGS gave the community an image of themselves by listening to their needs and understanding the site. The bridge has been embraced by the city and provides the local community with a sense of belonging while adding value to the neighborhood and to the city.

Through careful planning with the City of Kettering Public Works Department and the Ohio Department of Transportation, Cultural Arts for the City off Kettering and the Kettering community, the character of a standard highway bridge was transformed into a gathering place that reached out to the landscape and connected the community with that landscape. CGS was involved at a very early stage of the project and worked with the working with Division Manager Shayna McConville through their CitySites Program. CGS worked with its longtime partner Metal Arts Foundry to establish a system of laser cut panels and luminaires telling the story of the nearby landscape. These panels were integrated into the standard construction OHDOT safety fencing to create a layered composition which met the budget for fencing over the 230' length of the deck. CGS' longstanding expertise in working with public infrastructure and low bid contractors facilitated a high quality and timely installation.