The following post is part of a larger series of posts sharing the photographs provided by Bussanich~Kjeldsen Art during Better Block Pikes Peak. Better Block Pikes Peak was a 24-hour urban intervention testing the built environment in Downtown Colorado Springs from Friday, September 21 at noon until Saturday, September 22 at noon.
Art played a very large role in Better Block Pikes Peak. The demonstration in its entirety could be viewed as a temporary art piece in itself, however the components of the non-event were also carefully incorporated. The following photos illustrate some of the artistic contributions of Better Block Pikes Peak. Enjoy!
A chalkboard wall, graciously borrowed from Sk8-Strong, was used to gather comments and feedback from the public. Some chose to use the chalkboard, and sidewalk below, for creating their own art.
The median served as a place for people to gather and perform on the evening of Friday, September 21. Other street performances during Better Block included Hula-Hooping and guitar playing, as can be seen in the Time Lapse Video (prior post).
Tires served the purpose of planters for Better Block Pikes Peak and as barriers between the automobile traffic and pedestrian traffic. Recycled tires were provided by Rex Tires, painted white by the team, and colorfully painted again by children and adults who experienced the What If Festival in Colorado Springs the week before Better Block Pikes Peak.
The modifications to the median of Pikes Peak Avenue invited visitors to not only experience the median, but also to provide opportunities to experience art that previously existed, as in the photo above. New temporary art was incorporated by Colorado Springs artist, Bill Burgess.
This photograph illustrates the juxtaposition of the Heritage of Colorado Springs with Spencer Penrose (a permanent feature of Pikes Peak Avenue), with the kiosk for Better Block Pikes Peak at the entrance of Pikes Peak from Tejon. The Better Block Pikes Peak kiosk was designed and created by Scott Schuster of RTA Architects with recycled fiber barrels and refuse from the City signs.
Several pieces of sculpture were brought in to create the sculpture garden of Pikes Peak Avenue. All new sculpture pieces are the work of Bill Burgess, also the sculptor of “Continuum”, or otherwise known as the “Julie Penrose Fountain” in America the Beautiful Park.
Colorado Springs Urban Intervention 
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