PHILADELPHIA – Following the successful launch of Euphonic & Chromatic Drift last year, Amtrak continues to enrich the visitor experience at William H. Gray III 30th Street Station with a new public art installation. This latest addition, titled Flourish, is part of Amtrak’s ongoing Art at Amtrak program and is a site-specific piece commissioned in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust. Created by Philadelphia-based artist Roxana Azar, Flourish is prominently displayed on the Cira Skybridge, the enclosed pedestrian walkway connecting the Cira Centre office building directly to 30th Street Station, a key hub for travel in Philadelphia. An additional component of the artwork will also be featured inside the station itself, ensuring maximum visibility for travelers and the public alike.
“The vision of the Art at Amtrak program is to infuse public spaces with art that surprises, delights, and engages, and Flourish perfectly embodies this mission,” stated Sharon Tepper, Director of the Art at Amtrak program. “By spotlighting the talent of a local Philadelphia artist, Amtrak is transforming the Cira Skybridge into a vibrant canvas, enhancing the everyday journeys of commuters, residents, and station employees. This dynamic visual experience is designed to spark thought and emotion in all who pass through this vital connector.”
This new art installation builds upon the momentum of recent cultural events at 30th Street Station, including free public dance performances by PHILADANCO! earlier this year. These events, also presented by Art at Amtrak, have further cemented the station’s role as not just a transportation hub, but also a venue for arts and culture within Philadelphia.
Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station is the third busiest station in the Amtrak network, serving over 4 million Amtrak passengers annually, alongside 12 million commuters on SEPTA and NJ TRANSIT. On a typical weekday, the station complex welcomes over 100,000 individuals. The station, together with the Cira Centre, forms a crucial gateway to the burgeoning Schuylkill Yards development, a $3.5 billion innovation district master-planned by Brandywine Realty Trust in collaboration with Drexel University. This area is rapidly evolving into one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in the city, making 30th Street Station and its surroundings an increasingly important destination in Philadelphia.
“Brandywine Realty Trust has been a proud partner of Amtrak since the inception of Cira Centre nearly two decades ago,” said Jeff DeVuono, Executive Vice President and Senior Managing Director at Brandywine. “We are delighted to once again collaborate on an initiative that brings a stimulating art experience to our building tenants and the many visitors to 30th Street Station. Flourish perfectly captures the energetic spirit and forward momentum of Schuylkill Yards, a premier master-planned development in the nation, and its location adjacent to the iconic William H. Gray III 30th Street Station greatly enhances its appeal.”
The Flourish art installation is set to officially open to the public in September. This project coincides with Amtrak’s extensive ongoing restoration and renovation of 30th Street Station, a significant undertaking to modernize and preserve this historic transportation landmark. These investments in both infrastructure and art underscore Amtrak’s commitment to enhancing the overall experience for travelers passing through Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station.
🎨 The Art of Flourish: Botanical Inspiration in Transit
Roxana Azar’s Flourish is conceptually rooted in the greenhouse environment, exploring how these controlled spaces nurture and sustain plant life even when transplanted to different locations and climates. For this installation, Azar developed two digital compositions using layered photographs of plants sourced from greenhouses across the United States. Through digital manipulation, bold color palettes, and simplified forms, Azar has created playful and engaging visual narratives.
Azar’s choice of botanical themes directly responds to the architectural nature of the Cira Skybridge itself, which resembles a glasshouse or greenhouse structure. By activating this space with plant-inspired artwork, she aims to evoke the dynamism of a thriving, fertile environment, mirroring the constant flow of people and movement inherent in a major transportation hub like 30th Street Station. The artwork is designed to offer a multi-faceted visual experience, incorporating color-shifting shadows, transparency, and reflections, creating a constantly changing perception for viewers as they move through the Skybridge.
Further enriching the conceptual depth of Flourish, Azar draws a parallel between the way plants transport water and nutrients from their roots to their leaves and the role of transportation networks in enabling the growth and prosperity of cities and communities. This metaphorical connection highlights 30th Street Station’s vital function as a conduit for movement and connection, fostering the flourishing of Philadelphia and the wider region.
🖌️ About the Artist: Roxana Azar
Roxana Azar is a celebrated Philadelphia-based artist recognized for their innovative work in light art, digital compositions, and dichroic plexiglass sculptures. Azar’s artistic practice blends photography, digital collage and manipulation, and sculpture to create works that are both visually striking and conceptually rich. Their diverse portfolio includes holographic vases, mobiles, furniture, and floral arrangements, often incorporating imagery of collaged greenhouses and gardens, reflecting a recurring interest in botanical themes and the interplay of nature and technology. Flourish at 30th Street Station represents a significant addition to Azar’s public art portfolio, bringing their unique artistic vision to a broad and diverse audience.
