Landscape Furniture Art for Cordilleras Mental Health Facility

San Mateo County is conducting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for landscape furniture art at the Cordilleras Mental Health Facility, seeking artists to transform 11 provided redwood logs into functional art pieces for the facility's outdoor spaces. The County will supply 11 logs, each approximately 20' 6" long with diameters ranging from 16" to 24", and has allocated an artist fee of $250,000 for the project. Qualified artists must have a minimum of five years' experience in furniture manufacturing and installation for projects over $150,000, and be responsible for all aspects of design, fabrication, wood transfer, shipping, and installation. The RFQ requires submission of a professional resume, letter of interest, digital images of past work, an annotated image list, and three professional references. Key submission deadlines include a response deadline of April 18, 2025, at 5:00 pm PST, with the top three qualifiers being invited to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP). The artwork will be created for the new Cordilleras Health Campus, which includes a 121-bed facility, four mental health recovery centers, and various outdoor spaces, with the goal of creating a unique, comfortable, and peaceful setting.

The RFQ strongly encourages applications from artists of color, BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and members of historically marginalized groups. Applicants must reside in one of the nine Bay Area Counties to be eligible for consideration. The County is committed to increasing public art and seeks an artist who can work collaboratively with staff in a professional manner. With the exception of the redwood logs provided by the County, the selected artist is responsible for supplying all necessary materials, equipment, and resources for the project. The total project budget is $250,000, which is expected to cover all aspects of the artwork's creation and installation. The project is targeted for completion by December 2025, and the selected artist will be expected to create landscape furniture that complements the natural landscape of the facility's outdoor areas while providing functional and artistic elements for patients and staff.