The Vermont Parking Structure Sculpted Facade

For this project, the Fabricoil system serves as both a canvas for the artwork and a façade screening system for The Vermont’s parking garage.

The artwork – entitled “Los Angeles Opens its Heart of Compassion” – was completed in January 2015. Cliff Garten of Cliff Garten Studio (Venice, CA) creates architecturally integrated sculptures for urban places. His sculpture captures the past and future of this densely populated corner of Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

A 20-foot-tall, suspended three-dimensional sculpture is the centerpiece. It is made of 100 laser-cut aluminum “lotus petals” extending outward from a steel armature. The sculpture is framed by the undulating 75’ x 45’ Fabricoil system that itself is a striking component of the overall design. LED lighting showcases the art from the front, back and sides.

“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 colors,” says Garten. “The swells of color captured by the curving screen deepen in relation to the amount of natural daylight.”

Garten also says, “this [Fabricoil] material immediately intrigued me. It had a unique quality of capturing light and being translucent.”

Fabricoil systems look and perform like traditional woven metal mesh, but have a far lower installed cost. Fabricoil architectural coiled wire fabric is manufactured in a wide variety of weaves, metals, gauges and finishes &ndsah; all suitable for both interior and exterior applications.

For The Vermont project, Cliff Garten Studio utilized a 5/16”, 14-gauge aluminum Fabricoil system with a clear anodized finish. The Clamp engineered attachment system, designed by Cascade Architectural, was selected by Cliff Garten and the structural engineer to attach the Fabricoil system to the building.