Bill & Mary Buchen have designed interactive sound installations for museums, galleries, and public sites since 1982. Large-scale public works include: sound parks and science playgrounds, and designs for urban and natural environments. Their pursuits center on the study of environmental phenomena examined through its application to science, architecture, ecology and world cultures.
Notable collaborations include Ken Smith KSLA, Antoine Preddock Architects, Mark Rios architects, Donna Walcavage, Terri-Lee Burger ABB, Claire Weisz WYX, and Joan Krevlin BKSK among others.
Major projects include: San Francisco LIghtrail, New Jersey Lightrail, Cleveland Square Park, El Paso Texas, Manhattan Square Park, Rochester New York, Museum of Discovery, Miami, Liberty Science Center, New York Hall of Science, COSI Ohio, Arizona Science Center and Clover Park, Santa Monica, California.
In addition, Mary is a master gardener and Bill is a profesional percussionist/composer having performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Wolftrap, House of Blues, and jazz clubs throught the USA and Europe.
Their research and investigations led them to over 40 world trips studying architecture, design and music.
F E L L O W S H I P S
98 New York Foundation for the Arts: Architecture fellowship
94 New York Foundation for the Arts: Architecture fellowship
91 Indo-American Fellowship: India travel fellowship
89 New York Foundation for the Arts: Emergent Forms
85 NEA: Visual Arts Fellowship: New Genres
New York Foundation for the Arts: New Genres
82 CAPS (Creative Artists’ Public Service): Music Composition
A W A R D S A N D G R A N T S
98 Athena Foundation
95 Arts International Travel Grant: ‘Sound Vessel’, Varanasi, India
94 Graham Foundation: Sonic Architecture
93-91 NEA Design Arts Program (3 project grants: PS 23, Urban Sound Parks and the Wilds)
89 NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts): Media Production
NYSCA: Visual Arts Program
David Bermant Foundation for Color, Light and Motion
88 Art Matters, Inc.
84-88 NEA: Inter-arts Program (5 project grants)
86 NEA: Media Program,
NYSCA: Music Performance, PASS: Artist-in-Residency
P R O J E C T S
- Smale Park, Cincinnati Ohio
- Hemisfair, San Antonio Texas
- Riverwalk, Dubai UAE
- PS 78 Queens New York
- Riverwalk Park, Bradenton, FL
- Cleveland Square Park, El Paso, TX 2012
- Pompano Beach, FL, Neighborhood Transit Center Commission
- Designs for Orlando, FL Parks Department
- Designs for Craig Ranch, Las Vegas Parks Department
- Designs for Vancouver, BC, City of Richmond Parks Department
- Green Valley Ranch Park, Denver, CO (2008)
- ‘Prairie Bells’, Preston Road, Frisco, TX (2009)
- Seal Point Park, San Mateo, CA (2008)
- Design Commission for MUNI Third Street Light Rail Stations, San Francisco Art Commission (2007)
- Design Commission for Ohio State University Recreation and Fitness Facility, Columbus, OH (2007)
- ‘Wind Torchere’ for Maryland Place, St. Louis, MO (2006-7)
- Design Team for Manhattan Square Park renovation, Rochester, NY (2003-7)
- Design Team for Long Island City, NYC Transit Links project with Abel, Bainnson & Butz, LA (2006)
- NY Hall of Science Children’s Playground design with BKS/K Architects, Corona, NY 2007)
- Enhancements for North Point Park, Boston, MA with Carr Lynch & Sandell LA (2006)
- Commission for Meijer Garden Children’s Sculpture Garden, Grand Rapids, MI (2004)
- Sound Pavilion for Atlanta City Parks Recreation Center (2003)
- Schematic Design for Delmar Streetscape Development, St. Louis Arts in Transit (2001-3)
- Flight Wind Reeds at North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC (2003)
- Bell Garden / A Learning Environment for the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, Middletown, CT. Commissioned by the Art in Public Spaces Program of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Department of Public Works (2002)
- Wind Reeds installation for ‘Sound in the Landscape’ exhibition, Art Omi International Art Center, Omi, NY (2002)
- Sculpture installations for 4 city parks in Eugene, OR (2002)
- Design team for Triangle Park, St. Louis Arts in Transit Program (2000-01)
- Aeolian Garden for University of Connecticut Avery Point Campus. Art in Public Spaces Program of the Connecticut Commission on the Arts (2000)
- Interactive designs for Heron City in Barcelona and Valencia, Spain (2001-2) Commissioned by City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division (2000)
- Liberty Science Center/ New Jersey Transit Commission: Environmental sculptures for walkway with ETC Architects (2000)
- Westside Station / New Jersey Transit Commission: Environmental Sculptures and Plaza Design with ETC Architects (2000)
- Interactive artworks for entry plaza of the new Children’s Museum of Richmond, VA (2000)
- Sombras y Luz (Shadows and Light), Commission for a central plaza in downtown El Paso, TX. Commissioned by the El Paso public art program (2012)