Los Angeles Opens Its Heart of Compassion
In his signature style, Cliff Garten has designed a light installation in the historic Korea Town of Los Angeles. Talking about the urban diversity and the peaceful co-existence of various cultures within the city, the installation is a comment on the dynamic nature of LA, away from the glitz and glamour and the celebrity lifestyles that it is always associated with.
Photography by Jeremy Green
The installation consists of a undulating transparent mesh which represents the shifting demographic of the city, where one place implodes upon another in a kind of urban kaleidoscope. The spectrum of lights projected on it seem to seamlessly blend into one another. Focussed on a chandelier inspired by the traditional Korean Lotus, a wave of electric lines seem to emerge from the centre that spread out to the edge of the mesh, giving the entire installation a buzz of life and energy.
Photography by Jeremy Green
Project Info:
Architects: Cliff Garten Studio
Location: The Vermont, Vermont/Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA
Date: 2014
Medium: Stainless Steel, Aluminum, LED Lights
Dimensions: 45’ H x 75’ W x 11’ D
Commissioned: JH Snyder Company
CGS: Cliff Garten, Founder/Director, Venice, CA, Matthew Gilio-Tenan, Principal, Venice, CA
General Contractor: Plas-Tal, Santa Fe Springs, CA
Engineer: CKC Structural Engineers, Bellevue, WA
Subcontractor: Metal Arts Foundry, Lehi, UT; Cascade Coil, Tualatin, OR
Photography: Jeremy Green
By: Shamita Chaudhry
Shamita Chaudhary is a former assistant editor at Arch2O and the driving force behind India’s sustainable construction movement. An architect and circular economy expert, she founded the Malba Project in 2021 to combat construction and demolition (C&D) waste in Indian cities through research, advocacy, and practical action—an effort born during a striking 2018 trip to Manali . Over at Arch2O, Shamita leveraged her editorial acumen to spotlight circular design strategies and environmental stewardship. Her writing and insights challenge architects to rethink not only how we build, but how we dismantle—and rebuild—toward a more regenerative future.