April 17th marked the official landing of the Mueller Spider in the Southwest Greenway. Created by Houston artist Dixie Friend Gay, the 23 x 35 foot spider straddles a portion of the six mile trail system winding through the new community. The spider's metal is expected to rust to an attractive shade of orange, while its six deep purple eyes and turquoise eggs will remain bright and glossy. Upcoming plantings will nestle the spider in a bed of native grasses by this fall. Principal Barbara Austin and Landscape Architect Chris Lalich were on hand at its installation to speak to media about the new park and its exciting art pieces. The 32-acre greenway will also include sculptures from Austin local artist Chris Levack and a re-creation of the Blackland Prairie.
This month, Principal Mark Smith discusses the virtues of hospital Healing Gardens. Mark's article focuses on RVi's most recent design-unveiling - a reception to kick off the fundraising campaign for the Scott & White University Medical Campus Healing Garden in Round Rock, Texas. Read more
On April 24th, five RVi'ers brought the Town Lake Trail Foundation's Vision Plan (a gift from RVi in celebration of its 25th Anniversary) one step closer to completion. Hosting a vision gathering workshop, RVi and the Town Lake Trail Foundation listened as over forty people spent the evening brainstorming and sharing their ideas for the future of Austin's crown-jewel, The Town Lake Trail. The evening brought representatives from the City of Austin, local businesses, environmental groups, neighborhood groups and trail enthusiasts together, focusing on collaboration and big expectations. RVi intern Lindsey Petersen took part and said, "The energy, enthusiasm, and willingness of such diverse groups to work together speaks volumes about just how important the trail is to Austin. It was a great event to be a part of!"
