18 - Chandler the Chair Monster

Chandler the Chair Monster was created by local architect and artist, David Furman and fabricated by ACSM Design + Build. Nearly 100 wooden chair frames form the spine of the 60-foot-long mystical monster.

This Charlotte Rail Trail project is made possible by the generous support of U.S. Bank, Centro Cityworks, and Levine Properties.

 

17 - Where Inspiration and Strength Blooms

The Rail Trail unveiled of a new mural sponsored by U.S. Bank as part of the I Heart Rail Trail initiative in April 2022. The mural, titled Where Inspiration and Strength Blooms, colorfully depicts a Black woman, modeled after a friend of the artists', surrounded by greenery and a crown of figs. The piece is a collaboration between local female artists Owl (@owl.clt), Sam Guzzie (@samguzzie), and Kalin Devone (@kalin_renee), who felt inspired by their collective energy and “merging of elements that showed [their] strength as women as well as a way to use [their] authenticity to inspire others in the community.” The mural can be found on the Duke Energy building in Uptown Charlotte on E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, between Brevard and College Streets.

16 - Steelyard Mural

Artist Ivan Toth Depeña painted his mural on the concrete Steelyard parking garage facade facing the Rail Trail at 1910 South Boulevard.

“The initial proposal concept was deeply rooted in my painting series “Matter”. It stems from a process which I loosely refer to as “Hybrid Paintings”, based on the various media and production methods used to create them. The series explores the spatial qualities of painting and drawing using topography, transparency, density of light/color, and layering to achieve work that utilizes chance and intention to create an encapsulated multiverse of compositions. When experiencing the work as a whole, you are introduced to the clear inspiration I get from natural phenomena and when taking a closer look a much more complex set of micro-compositions or “mini worlds” are revealed.”

- Ivan Toth Depeña

This project was made possible thanks to ArtPlace Amerca.

 

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15 - Rail Trail Pedestrian Bridge→

Connecting Uptown and South End Over I-277.

The Rail Trail Bridge is made possible through an unprecedented partnership between the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the North Carolina Department of Transportation, as well as other private sector and nonprofit sponsorships.

The bridge design consultant team is being led by Depeña Studio in close collaboration with globally renowned structural engineering firm SBP. The design consultants are being managed by the engineering firm Thomas and Hutton. The team also includes and other local firms including design leader , Integra Architecture and CMW Design Strategies.

Closing the gap in the Rail Trail by linking Uptown and South End with a pedestrian bridge was a key component of the South End Vision Plan, adopted by City Council in 2018. It was also a strategy recommended by the Center City 2020 Vision Plan.

This pedestrian bridge connecting Charlotte’s Uptown and South End is envisioned to become iconic infrastructure and an important link between two of the city’s major employment hubs.

For project updates, visit charlottenc.gov/RailTrailBridge

PRESENTED BY

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM

Portman Holdings ArtPlace America Asana Partners Crescent Communities Whole Foods

 

13 - Color Forest

Project Description

100 colorful steel poles, ranging in height from 8 to 12 feet, line both sides of the Rail Trail just north of Bland Street, creating a "Color Forest" you walk through on the Trail. Local artist, Ivan Depeña is the brains behind this amazing installation, with ACSM at C3 Lab completing the fabrication and installation.



 

2 - Exclamation Point