Client: AVC Corp.

Overview

AVC Corp. is a thriving packaging-design company in the industrial zone of Los Angeles County. The owner had recently moved into a 215,000 SF warehouse and he asked Franklin Studios Architecture to develop an entry sequence that would reflect the companies energetic, creative approach to design and leave an impression on its corporate clients.

Goals

The sculpture in our project was conceived of as the crowning moment at the end of a dramatic entry sequence. It acts as a backdrop behind the reception desk, and is activated by the changing light coming in from the skylight above. The sculpture emerges from the plane of the wall, in the same way that the building emerges from the site, blurring the line between land, building and art, and giving the whole project a beautiful resonance. The form the of the piece is delicate and light, countering the weight of the solid steel plate from which it was cut.

Process

The sculpture was the product of collaboration between the architect, owner and the metal fabricator. The architect and owner went through a number of loose ideas in sketch form. When a general approach was decided on, a digital model of the sculpture was created and refined. The digital model was then broken down into individual pieces with dimensions. The architect then worked with the owners wife, a steel worker, in her shop, figuring out how to hang the piece and how to size and hide the connections. A subtle detail of the piece was that the wall plane was to be carved into, which meant that the wall surface had to be furred out. Collaboration between the installer, framer, and dry wallers had to happen in real time at the site to accurately convey the concept.

Additional Information

The industrial zone in which this project was located is a rough, steely place. The owners desire to create something beautiful out of hard, difficult materials in a hard difficult place was especially gratifying.