These photos represent one of my larger-scale installations. Encompassing over 308 square feet of fused glass, this "Bamboo Forest" was built using 110 panels of glass that were installed on-site on the patio of NOE, the fine-dining restaurant at the Los Angeles Omni Hotel.
From the time I first heard about the project until the last glass panel was inserted inside the steel framework, a year and a half had passed. It was an engineering feat that utilized two steel contractors, a cement contractor, a transportation company, City inspectors, permit offices, a structural engineering firm, an 80' crane, street closures, a dedicated hotel staff and many, many nights of continuous glass firings in my kiln.
Wearing many hats afforded me the opportunity to really get my hands dirty and learn worlds more than I originally anticipated. It was a thrilling, gut-wrenching experience that is one of my favorite chapters in my glass-making career.
While downtown, please visit the patio, which is in a pedestrian-safe portion of California Plaza's Water Court at 251 South Olive St, Los Angeles, CA. It's a wonderful, tactile experience to see and feel the glass at any hour of the day or night.
What an amazing challenge and elegant pieces. Did you know how to contain the glass or work with the engineers to determine a solution that was safe for the glass and hotel patrons?
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More planning/designing/engineering went with this project than I had originally anticipated. Months of structural engineering ensured that, given a magnitude 8.0 earthquake or higher, the steel would remain intact. The glass was laminated as a secondary safety measure. A more detailed explanation of the process can be found in the upcoming winter issue of "Profitable Glass".
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