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LANCASTER QUILT | EDREDÓN DE LANCASTER

From "Ewell Plaza Art Explorations"

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The Lancaster Quilt project transforms the parking garage utilitarian structure into a celebration of Lancaster’s free spirit, rendering the Lancaster Public Library as an inviting, vibrant, and young building open to all.

The new façade is inspired by Amish quilts. The red tonality of the screen resembles the reddish warm colors of the city. Additional colors highlight the new cultural quilt representing Lancaster today. Together, the colors of the screen add a new layer of hope and pride to the plaza commemorating the extraordinary life of Barney Ewell.

The new polychromatic garage and library façade celebrates through the language of color the extraordinary diversity and inclusive character of Lancaster and welcomes all to enjoy Ewell Plaza for generations to come. 

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El proyecto Edredón de Lancaster transforma la estructura utilitaria del garaje de estacionamiento en una celebración del espíritu libre de Lancaster, convirtiendo a la Biblioteca Pública de Lancaster en un edificio atractivo, vibrante y joven abierto a todos.

La nueva fachada está inspirada en edredones amish. La tonalidad roja de la pantalla se asemeja a los colores cálidos rojizos de la ciudad. Colores adicionales resaltan el nuevo edredón cultural que representa a Lancaster hoy. Juntos, los colores de la pantalla añaden una nueva capa de esperanza y orgullo a la plaza que conmemora la extraordinaria vida de Barney Ewell.

El nuevo garaje policromático y la fachada de la biblioteca celebra a través del lenguaje del color la extraordinaria diversidad y el carácter inclusivo de Lancaster y da la bienvenida a todos a disfrutar de Ewell Plaza para las generaciones venideras. 

Comments(41)

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Profile of Kimberly Stoltzfus
Posted by:Kimberly Stoltzfus
5 years ago
Doesn’t look like a quilt, just anonymous corporate “design.” The least hideous of the 3. Concept of the new cultural “quilt” might have been more strongly realized with some cultural symbolism or actual faces of folks from the city.
    Profile of Tony Israel
    Posted by:Tony Israel
    5 years ago
    So many comments so little influence. Will the powers that be engage here? The vast majority of comments seem to be not only negative on all three designs, they are calling for a back to the drawing board approach that includes more local input and the inclusion of local artists and designers. I think it is a fact that people are generally territorial and that governments are generally afraid of engaging the seeming chaos of real constituent engagement. It is admirable that this technology, social media-like effort was launched, but it remains to be seen if this is, in fact, an honest effort to create a real substantive collaboration with the citizens of Lancaster. I hope that it is.
    • 2 likes
    Profile of Margaret High
    Posted by:Margaret High
    5 years ago
    Very disappointed in three designs that essentially rearranged colors and shapes. I expected more. I wish a local artist could have a shot at a design that reflects the city as it is now and hopes to be in the future. I'm a quilter and also a Mennonite, but I still don't like this design.
    • 2 likes
    Profile of Donna Talarico
    Posted by:Donna Talarico
    5 years ago
    I appreciate the tie-in to the overall county (and the dual work the quilt theme is doing), but as others have stated below, I like that the city/downtown area is distinctive from Amish Country so I, too, feel the quilt design is too literal and too dependent upon what people "think" Lancaster is, if that makes sense. When I tell people I live "IN" Lancaster, they still think I mean in the middle of Amish Country, which is nice, but not as diverse as the city itself.
    • 1 like
    Profile of Laurie Ulrich
    Posted by:Laurie Ulrich
    5 years ago
    It's about time we untethered ourselves to the Amish. Lancaster and certainly Lancaster City have little or nothing to do with people in buggies selling overpriced quilts to tourists. This has no place in our city, and placing an homage to people who take their kids out of school in the 8th grade on a public library is embarrassingly ironic.
    • 5 likes
    Profile of Tony Israel
    Posted by:Tony Israel
    5 years ago
    Unfortunately none of these really are very good at all. They don't honor or depict the culturally rich city they will overlook. The comments I've read here about choice of materials ring true but I am primarily struck by how none of these designs tell any visual story that relates to, or inspires this unusual city. I hope it's not too late to go back to the drawing board. There are many excellent local artists and designers that might help. This is an inspiring place. It deserves an inspiring visual...
    • 3 likes
    Profile of Jeff LeFevre
    Posted by:Jeff LeFevre
    5 years ago
    Really don't care for any of these designs as presented. Not sure why our own Lancaster art community isn't involved with designing this project. Jerome's Hershey current large art creations capture the spirit and essence of Lancaster much better than any of these...
    • 3 likes
    Profile of Sarah Shirk
    Posted by:Sarah Shirk
    5 years ago
    This looks like a children’s museum. I fail to see any correlation to Amish quilts.
    • 2 likes
    Profile of Michelle Zuercher
    Posted by:Michelle Zuercher
    5 years ago
    My husband owns a construction company. He said he would never in a million years build that yellow box around a staircase does anybody realize how hot it is going to be in there?!
      Profile of Lauren Hunter-Parrish
      Posted by:Lauren Hunter-Parrish
      5 years ago
      While the quilt idea represents the county, I feel it doesn't represent Lancaster City. There should be differentiation between the county and the city. It just looks like blocks of color and comes across as somewhat juvenile.
      • 3 likes
      Profile of Katherine Marie
      Posted by:Katherine Marie
      5 years ago
      @Lauren Hunter-Parrish my thoughts! Is this a city thing? Or a county thing? I'm confused. I probably wouldn't even support this as a quilt on my bed. Ugh. Poor choices

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        Profile of Amber Strazzo RighterAmber Strazzo Righter on August 27, 2021

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