Domus IN 201903

Atlanta and the local community) last year
launched an ambitious initiative to leverage
the Super Bowl for a long-lasting positive
repercussion on the city. Named Legacy 53,
the programme is built on five pillars:
sustainability, business connect, a capital
improvement project, youth engagement, and
civil rights and social justice.
The sustainability pillar is implemented
through 11 urban forestry projects for planting
over 20,000 trees, creating pollinator habitat
and building community gardens in several
neighbourhoods. The business connect
programme takes advantage of the economic
impact of the Super Bowl to elevate over 200
local minority-, women- or LGBT-owned
businesses for contracting opportunities.
The Capital Improvement Project has
instead resulted in a two-million-dollar
renovation of the John F. Kennedy Park, near the
stadium. The Youth Engagement programme
then helps address food insecurity, physical
inactivity and academic achievement in
metro Atlanta’s schools.
Finally, Super Bowl LIII will leave a fresh
physical trace in the urban context. Through
the Off the Wall project, 11 American artists
were selected to install 30 murals around
downtown that speak about the city’s civil
rights and social justice issues. The artworks
were inspired by months of community
conversations which brought out unheard
stories that needed to be told, as stated by
arts group WonderRoot. For viewers walking by
the murals, the experience is also digitally
enhanced by hearing the mural’s narrative. This
public art project will ultimately act as a
constant reminder for Atlanta’s citizens and
visitors to foster a more socially responsible
community in the years to come.

Stefano Andreani is a lecturer in Architecture at
the Harvard University Graduate School of Design
and a designer and consultant at the Invivia studio
in Boston. In 2018, he co-edited for Domus the
Innovation special issue.
Joanna-Maria Helinurm is principal of the Laviku
studio in New York, and the lead architectural
and interior designer and art director for the
Super Bowl DirecTV event.

Page 104 and this page:
murals from the Off the
Wall project, curated by
WonderRoot. Created in
the centre of Atlanta by
11 American artists, the
30 works portray themes
associated with civil
rights and originated
from an engagement
with local communities

Brandan “Bmike” Odums, Love & Protection (p. 105, 6)

Brandan “Bmike” Odums, God is Love (p. 105, 7)

The Loss Prevention Arts Collective, Hero Series (p. 105, 8)

The Loss Prevention, Beloved Community (p. 105, 9)

Charmaine Minniefield, Visionary for Justice (p. 105, 10)

53

editions of the Super Bowl

in 16 US cities

110,000,000+

TV spectators

70,000

stadium spectators

1,000,000

visitors to Atlanta

100+

venues for Super

Bowl-related events

750

additional flights per day

185–400,000,000

$ of economic impact

5,000,000

$ cost for a 30-second spot

3,500-15,500

$ stadium ticket price

200+

local businesses involved

5

Legacy 53 programmes

11

urban forestry projects

20,000

new planted trees

11

artists for 30 murals

Data sources: NFL, Atlanta Super Bowl LIII Host

Committee, Curbed Atlanta, Atlanta Magazine,

WonderRoot

Opposite page:

renderings of the

stage-design project for

the performances and

concerts of Super Bowl

DirecTV, in a structure

with a capacity of 10,000

people erected for the

occasion, in the Atlantic

Station area