Build Architecture Awards

Build Architecture Awards 2015 43 This unique firm is dedicated to bringing art to public spaces in order to enrich people’s lives. Cliff Garten talks us through the firm’s philosophy and how they have come to win this prestigious award. There is a latent potential in every public place and situation to become more than the specific functions it appears to perform, and it my personal belief that public and private experiences are never distinct, but exchange places throughout the day. My search for a place where desire intersects with our everyday activity is the search for sculptural forms which engage us in the poet- ry of our own actions and define our personal and social histories. The necessary facts of our public infrastruc- ture are cause for the possibility of a public expression through the conscious design and integration of art. Sculpture defines our interaction and movement by creating energy between things, generating interest in public activity, reframing our private lives and creating a sense of place within public and private realms. It is this desire to enrich people’s everyday lives with extraordinary art that encompasses our studio’s philosophy. Winning the Award for Innovation in Public Sculpture highlights our efforts to increase the potential role of public art in our urban spaces and visualise our philosophy. Through pushing advancements in lighting technology, seamless digital fabrication techniques, and the interactive integration of sculptures into their environments, we are pushing the function of public sculpture from ornamentation to active participant in our urban spaces. We are constantly integrating technology into our early stages of concept design for each sculpture, which allow us to play with the interactivity the sculpture will have when it is on site. Award for Innovation in Public Sculptures Cliff Garten Studio Company: Cliff Garten Studio Email: info @cliffgartenstudio.com Web Address: www.cliffgartenstudio.com Telephone: 310 392 2060 In addition to this, our methods of fabrication with a dedicated foundry help us to translate our concepts and drawings into the most accurate construction techniques, providing a finished product which is as near to the original concept as possible. We have worked on a number of exciting projects which we are extremely proud of, for example Luminous Crossings, in which we synced the light and train schedule in order to integrate the public sculpture as an active participant in the urban landscape. Another of our projects which highlights our use of technical connectivity within our art is our work on the Los Angeles Opens Its Heart of Compassion. In this project we used the innovative and technical system of coordinat- ing lighting for the undulating screens and the clean white illumination of the chandelier. The sculpture, which is located at the busy intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Ver- mont Avenue at the heart of Koreatown in Los Angeles, California, comprises of a suspend- ed sculpture with a 75’ x 45’ diaphanous, undulating metallic screen behind a 20’ tall three dimensional sculpture made of 100 pet- al-like abstractions of a lotus flower made of laser cut aluminium. The sculpture is bathed in an intense white light while the screen and its corresponding line drawing move through a light show of rich changing colours. Our work on the sculpture Rhytons used an interactive sound aspect which reacts to the proximity of people to the sculpture in the plaza, activating a large space around the sculpture. Looking to the future we have a number of exciting projects lined up and will continue to explore unique innovations in technology and new techniques in sculpture, as well as constantly seeking new inspiration to ensure our work is current and individual.