Pictured: “Color Tech” by My Ly alongside 12^th Street in Pentagon City, National Landing

“Color Tech transforms 12th Street into an Art Walk with immersive colors and textures layered on multiple surfaces inviting the neighborhood in,” shares artist My Ly.

Construction is positive; it means growth and progress, but of course the temporary impacts can be hassle. At the BID we work to mitigate those impacts through creative placemaking. The Transitway Extension to Pentagon City, has been part of Arlington County’s mobility vision for years. The first phase of the project began last fall with two sets of bus shelters along Crystal Drive and 12th Street temporarily closed. In response, the National Landing BID commissioned local artist Brandon Hill to create bright, fabricated installations in front of the bus shelters – titled Kansas and Oz – that brought color and wonder to Crystal Drive and 12th Street.

This year, the County kicked off Segment 2A of the Transitway Extension, which began a year-long reconfiguration of 12th Street South in Pentagon City. This phase of work includes bus-only lanes where there were previously medians, traffic signal upgrades, signage and pavement markings, and three transit stations.

The mission of this placemaking effort was to improve safety, walkability, and visual appeal during the project due to the impacts of the construction activity. The BID partnered with My Ly Design to deliver a vibrant, multi-layered design intervention that brought energy and creativity back to the corridor with her installation, Color Tech.

Throughout the brainstorming and creation of this piece, My Ly chose to use colors based on the BID’s core branding to bring the organization to life through these installations. The art fixture features a bright, colorful fence graphic that displays original artwork by My Ly, as well as Transitway renderings provided by the County. It also includes 3D fence sculptures created and painted by My Ly, as well as color-pop tree boxes and interactive sidewalk decals.

Design work for the activation began in July 2025, with tree box painting being completed through August and September, and 3D fence sculptures installed in late September. The graphic fence banners, printed in collaboration with Arlington County, were installed in October, followed by sidewalk decals produced and installed by Dodge Chrome.

The BID also collaborated with a variety of organizations, including Arlington County, Bright Construction, JBGS, Dodge Chrome, and My Ly Design. The interim placemaking installation will remain in place until the County’s Transitway project concludes in mid-2026.

As National Landing continues to evolve and transform, this project reflects how creativity, collaboration, and design can work together to tell the story of a community in transition — one fence panel at a time.