Public Art Beats the Heat

The desert southwest has its own beauty that often doesn’t translate well to city planning. When the master planned community of Summerlin, an area west of the famous Las Vegas Strip, was imagined, an eye to detail and chronic drought were addressed in creating streetscapes that soften roadways and boulevards using no water plants and statuary. Metal sculpture reflective of desert flora and fauna adorn medians, corners, and along block walls separating major roadways from housing. Along the Highway 95 block wall that separates The Springs Preserve from the highway, a massive tarantula appears to be scaling the wall. In other areas, big horned sheep, red ants, quail, snakes, and other native fauna are depicted in metal sculpture. This clever idea is easily applied to any community facing drought or plumbing water to medians or along boulevards.