They renovated a Frank Gehry-designed garage at Santa Monica Place Mall, as well as eight other city parking lots surrounding the popular Third Street Promenade. In an effort to preserve the iconic elements of Gehry's building, including signage and steel mesh signs, the project's authors harmoniously merged the new components with the old ones.
The main innovation was the design of the facade with screens made of "slats": they differ in density and rhythm of the arrangement of details, creating a dynamic picture; the "slats" themselves are made of cement-particle board, but the compositions formed by them are more reminiscent of wooden pallets for cargo.
Each screen measuring 3 m by 4.88 m is slightly offset from the adjacent one. In addition, some of them are highlighted in bright colors. This creates a visual variety and gives the façade a unique look and also protects parked vehicles. Also, panels and "columns" from the Cliff Garten Studio bureau appeared on the facades. In the evening, these elements are illuminated by LED lamps.
In addition to the new façade, the project includes ground-level shops, bicycle parking, footpaths, signage and artwork. At the final stage of the reconstruction, it is planned to install more than 1000 solar panels on the upper tier of the garage buildings, which will simultaneously give shade to cars and pedestrians.
The renovated garage is undoubtedly not only a utilitarian structure. Specially designated huge sections of the facades will showcase the work of contemporary artists. For example, now there you can admire the sculptural composition of the Ball-Nogues studio and the multi-colored panel by Anne-Marie Carlsen.
The Santa Monica Place Mall itself was built in 1980 by Frank Gehry. At one time it was supposed to be demolished, but the renovation by the Jerde Partnership bureau turned a typical indoor shopping center into an open "arcade". At the same time, air conditioning costs have decreased, and the building itself has better fit into the urban environment.
E. P.