http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/02/condos_and_pretty_lights_headed_for_central_ave_in_glendale.php

Thursday, February 25, 2010, by Adrian Glick Kudler

[Images via atelier V]

Glendale is chugging along in its efforts to turn Central Avenue into a more lively place. This six story condo project, developed by Legendary Developments and designed by atelier V: architecture, is planned for the corner of Central and California, just down the street from the Americana at Brand. Plan are for 71 one-, two-, and three-bedrooms and nine live/work units with a two-level subterranean garage. Glendale’s Downtown Specific Plan has a new requirement that developments include public art “valued at 1% of the cost of any project with a price tag of at least $500,000,” according to the Glendale News-Press, and the city’s Arts & Culture Commission has just signed off on a light sculpture by mixed-media artist Michael Hayden that will hang in a glass-enclosed public space on the ground floor.

The secrets behind the undulating lights.>>>

Here’s the technical wonks’ description of the installation from atelier V’s blog: “Michael Hayden’s proposal uses 66 – 36 inch long polycarbonate tubes filled with RGB light Emitting Diodes (LED) suspended within the 1,350 SF public space anywhere from 11′ to 22′ above ground plane…Every light-tube will have a minimum of 36 RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) LEDs; which will be addressed in 6 clusters of 6 LEDs or 12 clusters of 3 LEDs.  This will allow for interplay of 2,400 colors in variant symphonies of light and music and interactivity.  This lumetric installation will be physically attractive as the 3′ light sticks appear to undulate as their distribution arithmetically expands (first 1, then 2 in the next row, 3 in the third etc), and as they travel across the aerial space above the audiences’ heads.”

According to the News-Press, a vacant one-story commercial building, a 20 unit residential building, and an abandoned gas station at the development site have already been demolished. Atelier V’s blog says construction is scheduled to start this summer.
· Tower gets agency approval [Glendale News-Press]
· Legendary Tower Glendale [Legendary Developments]
· Light sculpture advances [Glendale News-Press]
· Dance of Lights : atelier V collaborates with Michael Hayden on 300 N. Central [Vews]