ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Titan Development, Alliance Residential, RS21, and the City of Albuquerque announced a large-scale public mural on the eastern side of Broadstone Nob Hill, a multifamily property developed by Titan and Alliance at 4101 Central Avenue Northeast in Albuquerque's East Nob Hill neighborhood. Based on a concept by Titan Development, the muralist Todd Hebenstreit has worked alongside Resilient Solutions 21 ("RS21"), a data science company that also specializes in design and visualization, to produce the city's first augmented reality mural inspired by the historic Route 66 highway.
"We are thrilled that Titan's Broadstone Nob Hill property will be the site of this future landmark mural in the heart of the historic Route 66 in East Nob Hill," said Josh Rogers, Senior Vice President at Titan. "The original concept of the mural was to bring back some of the iconic feeling of the cars and neon signage that made Route 66 so unique, combined with state-of-the-art 3D and an augmented reality feature. We worked with the City of Albuquerque, the talented local muralist, and the great team at Resilient Solutions 21 to rekindle the Route 66 story for visitors and residents."
"The City of Albuquerque's Public Art Board has enthusiastically supported our community's most cutting-edge public art opportunities and collaborations. This dynamic Route 66-themed mural that comes to life with augmented reality features is the first of its kind for our city and we're excited to support more artists and technology partnerships to enliven our public spaces and corridors in the coming year," said Sherri Brueggemann, Public Art Division Manager.
The mural is a combination of a painted 2D mural and an augmented reality (AR) 3D component. The 2D, 35 by 35-foot, 1,225 square-foot mural draws inspiration from the iconic Route 66, the two-lane highway connecting Chicago to Los Angeles whose landscape was once bustling with the sounds of V8 engines and illuminated by vibrant neon signs, symbols that continue to influence the artistic scene and heritage of Albuquerque, but in a neighborhood that may have lost this connection to its historic culture. Alongside elements that recognize the area's Hispanic roots, Hebenstreit is creating a mural that vibrantly celebrates the city's shared culture.
Superimposed 3D imagery viewable through a cell phone, tablet, or other electronic mobile device will bring the mural experience to life through Instagram and SnapChat. Vintage cars and neon signs will extend from the building in real time and headlights will "glow" at night, but without visibly disturbing nearby residents. Both an attractive and unique addition to East Nob Hill, Titan is supporting the mural as part of a continued effort to revitalize the neighborhood and promote walkability and safety, which public art has been shown to accomplish. With the 2D mural already underway, the 3D superimposed imagery is targeted to be completed in December 2022.
"We are delighted to be working alongside Titan, the City and Todd Hebenstreit to bring this iconic mural to life," said Annemarie Henton, RS21 Director of State & Local Services. "It has been wonderful working with people who love Albuquerque as much as we do and who are committed to cultivating our community. We are excited for pedestrians to experience the sights and sounds of Route 66 as the city's first augmented reality mural jumps off the wall."
"I'm very honored to have been a part of designing this mural for Titan, Alliance, and the city of Albuquerque," said Todd Hebenstreit, muralist. "There are many firsts with this mural, from the size and height to the AR component – the list goes on. This is not your average mural, and it has been a such a fascinating project."