Big Art on Campus
How Austin Viie is Building an Affordable Platform for Artists
Words by Sam Lauron
In a city that’s lauded for its tech accomplishments and startup culture, Austin Viie could’ve easily made the sole focus of their multi-use campus on the technology industry. However, the upcoming East Austin tech and media hub chose instead to make art a central pillar in their community plans at the former Motorola campus.
With structures from the previous tenant already in place at the 125-acre site, Austin Viie is breathing new life into the abandoned 1970s-style buildings to fit their vision for a modern, wellness-based community plan. One of the major additions to the campus will be the Civic Center, a central building that will dedicate 33,000 square feet to artist studios.
Viie founder Adam Zarafshani says that the art component was the first one that came to fruition when they began to plan the community. With the cost of living steadily rising, local artists have found it increasingly difficult to sustain a livable career here. Acknowledging this city-wide issue, Viie hopes to create a solution through their extensive art program on campus. The Civic Center will offer affordable rent to local and emerging artists while also providing a creative community for artists to grow and collaborate. Additionally, all of the revenue made from studio rent will go directly into the art program to build a sustainable foundation for future artists to succeed.
“We’re trying to make it affordable and create an environment where people can thrive,” says Adam. “[We] want to give them an opportunity that they may not have otherwise.”
Affordable studio space is not the only opportunity artists will have at Viie. Artists will have the chance to infuse their work throughout the campus, whether that’s by placing art installations on the outdoor trails or the onsite Zen Gardens, having their work displayed on the LCD monitors placed in every building, or by collaborating with the tech companies who will also occupy a portion of the space.
All of the programs to be set in place are to ensure that artists receive maximum exposure and recognition for the work. An added bonus to the initial group of artists to call Austin Viie home is molding and modifying this program to their needs.
“We see our job as giving them space, an environment, and an audience,” states Adam. “And then through collaboration, [artists] can come up with the programs that fit them.”
Adam, whose background is in construction and engineering, admits that all credit to the art program should go to his wife, Fara Ranjbaran. “All of this is really the brainchild of my wife,” he smiles. In addition to being a physician and Chief Medical Officer of Viie, Fara is also a painter, and her work currently hangs on the walls of Viie’s office.
As the campus develops over the next year or so, as large companies move in, and as programs are established, art will continue to be woven throughout the whole site.
“Whether it’s painting or music or sculpting,” Adam says, “all of those things generate synergy in the campus.”
Contact:
3443 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Bldg. V, Ste. 100
www.zengardenatx.com
