gem factory of the future
The University of Maine, in partnership with the Maine Arts Commission, seeks qualifications from artists or artist teams for a public art commission at the new GEM Factory of the Future building in Orono, Maine.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The University of Maine’s new GEM Factory of the Future building is a forward-looking hub dedicated to innovation in sustainable materials, advanced manufacturing, and bio-based 2 technologies. Located on the Orono flagship campus, the facility reflects the university’s leadership in forest-based research, engineering, and climate-responsive design.
The building itself is emblematic of these priorities, incorporating mass timber construction and serving as a living laboratory for research, teaching, and collaboration. It is designed to bring together students, faculty, researchers, and industry partners in a shared environment that advances Maine’s role in the future of sustainable materials and manufacturing.
In this spirit, the commissioned artwork may also function as a living, adaptive, or evolving system. Artists are encouraged to consider approaches in which the work changes over time through processes such as material weathering, ecological growth, research collaboration, public interaction, or future creative activation, while still maintaining a clear artistic identity and conceptual framework.
The surrounding site offers a unique opportunity for public art to connect the building’s mission to the broader campus and public.
SITE + ARTWORK OVERVIEW
The GEM building serves as a highly visible and forward-looking addition to the University of Maine flagship campus. Constructed using mass timber and innovative materials, the building functions as both a research facility and a living laboratory.
The selection committee seeks to commission a permanent work of public art that reflects the building’s mission and enhances the surrounding environment. The artwork should engage a broad audience, including students, faculty, and visitors, and contribute to the identity of the site.
As artists consider their ideas, “permanent” does not necessarily imply a completely fixed or static object. Artists may include durable frameworks, artist-defined protocols, renewable or replaceable elements, or works designed to evolve over time, provided the artist clearly identifies which aspects of the work are intended to remain constant and which may adapt or change.