The famed intersection of Scottsdale and Camelback roads have always been considered a doorway to Scottsdale’s famous downtown districts so it only makes sense that this intersection will soon be home to Donald Lipski’s public art piece, The Doors. This giant walk-in kaleidoscope sculpture will be built as part of the Scottsdale Waterfront, a $250 million, 11-acre residential, retail and office development.

From the outside, the sculpture will resemble three doors leaning against each other. The doors will be engineered and built as connected piers with steel reinforcement. The interior will be made of a material with a reflective surface allowing those inside the sculpture to see limitless colorful and faceted reflections of themselves. Looking up toward the opening at the top, viewers will see a fantastical orb hovering overhead, which will evolve as the light of day changes. The sculpture will be equipped with nighttime L.E.D. lighting that will allow for evening viewing.

The entire installation will be approximately 25 to 30 feet tall and is scheduled for completion in fall 2006. Lipski’s honors include the National Endowment for the Arts awards, an American Academy of Arts and Letters award, and the Guggenheim Fellowship. His work is in national permanent collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, and the Menil Collection in Houston.

The art piece is owned and funded by Scottsdale Waterfront Commercial, LLC and represents half of the developers total $1 million commitment to public artwork for the project. As part of the Scottsdale Public Art program’s private development ordinance, adopted by it’s citizens in 1985, the City of Scottsdale holds the agreement with all developers that one percent of all projects be set aside for public art. The intention is to enhance urban spaces by commissioning art that creates a sense of place and improves the built environment.

For more information, visit www.scottsdalepublicart.org.