INSPIRE
THE FACES OF
ELYSIAN VALLEY coldspring LOCAL COMMUNITY CELEBRATED THROUGH DIVERSE ART INSTALLATION
T
he diversity of one of the nation’s largest cities is proudly depicted in an elaborate outdoor display that greets thousands of people each day. Five larger than life sculptures make up the center of Los Angeles’ first roundabout. Each are egg-like shapes standing up to a foot tall. The shapes are inspired by the faces of volunteers who live near the site, which is called the “Faces of Elysian Valley.” More than 200 people took part in this project. The final design offers a resilient and unique art form that represents the city and the people surrounding it.
Plans for the Faces of Elysian Valley project, also called the Riverside Roundabout, began nearly a decade ago. The California-based group, Greenmeme Studio, developed the idea while hosting a design workshop in Los Angeles. They taught the basics of 3D printing to hundreds of students during a two-year period. The students scanned each other’s faces as part of the training. As city leaders began developing plans for the roundabout with Greenmeme, the design team decided to use those scans in the display. They randomly selected five for the egg statues and four for the outer ring that separates them from the road. Then they embarked on roughly eight years of design and construction to bring the idea to life.
PROJECT D E TA I L S Build Time 17 years Size 100 ft. wide
There are three different sizes of eggs in the Riverside Roundabout, ranging from 12 to eight feet tall. Each
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