Julie Chang is a San Francisco-based artist who, at the time of her selection for the Transbay Transit Center, coincidentally lived within blocks of the new transportation facility. Ms. Chang designed the 23,000 square foot terrazzo floor of the Grand Hall, which welcomes visitors into a warm and inviting environment that evokes a lush sunlit Victorian garden. Inspired by the region’s flora and fauna and diverse multicultural population, two of the most striking design elements in her design are vibrant and brightly hued poppies which are the California state flower and jewel-toned hummingbirds which are the state bird, highlighted by mirrored glass. Integrated into the design is a subtle overlay of icons and patterns executed as bronze inserts or filigreed patterns made from thin zinc divider strips, which are drawn from the rich tapestry of people and cultures across the Bay Area: flower-like circular rings from an Indian sari, cloud-like curves inspired by Chinese embroidery, Japanese crests, diamonds and chevrons found in a variety of sources including African textiles and Grecian pottery, and star and cross motifs from Islamic tiles. The floor is bisected by bands of white marble that reflect the ornamentation of San Francisco’s famous “Painted Ladies’ Victorian architecture. Visitors and commuters alike will find themselves drawn into the colorful light-filled space, inspired to explore the myriad of symbols and compelled to linger.

In this site-specific installation, shapes migrate and cross boundaries, transformed by encounters with other forms activated by the light and bodies that move across the floor.

At the time of her selection, Julie Chang had recently graduated from college and had never done a permanent public art project. A testament to her strength as an artist, She was selected from a short list of 30 candidates which included many world renowned artists. Julie worked in close partnership with the architectural firm of Pelli Clark Pelli to develop her design and to size the elements in a scale appropriate to the size and grandeur of the Grand Hall. She was intimately involved every step of the way, working side by side with Associated Terrazzo, a SF firm to select the stones that would comprise the terrazzo matrix and its many jeweled toned colors. While the divider strips were being placed, prior to the terrazzo pour, Julie was on site arranging the zinc strips that formed the cultural icons embedded in her work working alongside the crew. Everything was executed to perfection which is not often the case in a project that is awarded to the lowest bidder.

The response to the work has been overwhelmingly positive.