Aurora Southeast Recreation Center
Project Overview
Client: City of Aurora, Colorado
Opened: 2023
Services: Paneled wall mural
The Southeast Recreation Center opened in 2023 to accomodate the rapidly growing population of Aurora, Colorado. The city wanted the facility to be a source of pride for the community including artwork that would inspire and uplift and be unmistakably Aurora.
I designed a large-scale paneled wall mural for the main gymnasium. Faced with a solid cinderblock wall, I wanted to create a window to the outside. Aurora is one of the highest points on the plains and the building site features majestic, open views to the prairie and mountains. When viewed from a distance, the wall displays the panoramic view of the front range from Pikes Peak in the south to Longs Peak in the north. AURORA emerges from a pattern of long horizon lines representing the expansive high prairie.
Viewing the wall close up reveals a deeper layer of information. The horizon lines are a measurement tool, each representing 1000 ft. of elevation, turning the artwork into a map. Prominent peaks are labeled as well as the City of Aurora, orienting the viewer and adding context.
The goal of the mural is that whether it is viewed from a distance or analyzed up close, the artwork helps the community futher discover and find inspiration in the environment around them.
Work completed at Populous