warren techentin architecture forms la cage aux folles in LA courtyard

warren techentin architecture forms ‘la cage aux folles’ in LA courtyard
photo by nick cope
all images courtesy of warren techentin architecture

designed by warren techentin architecture, ‘la cage aux folles’ is a temporary structure occupying a street front courtyard located in los angeles, california. the project is enabled by materials & applications, an outdoor exhibition space which hosts rotating installations constructed twice yearly. the work is composed of bent steel pipe members, which are arrayed in a circular order to create a deformed cage. visitors are able to circulate into and around the radial plan, and must pay attention to their feet while stepping from piece to piece.

photo by nick cope

appropriately representative of a cage, the lines of the composition relate to one another to imply undulating surfaces. utilizing parametric computational processes, each curving metal member incrementally deviates to create smoothly bulging and pinching forms.

(left): children are able to occupy areas of the structure which adults cannot
(right): traversing the folly requires careful attention to foot placement
photos by nick cope

each view contains a layered composition of white curving contours
(left) photo by nick cope
(right) photo by farnoosh rafaie

‘la cage aux folles’ will serve as the venue for a series of three performances throughout the month of may 2014. artists will activate the structure through choreographic, musical, & technological interventions, inviting visitors to explore and engage with the installation.

schedule-40 steel pipe members are arrayed in a circular order to create a deformed cage
photos by nick cope

photo by stephen linsley

visitors monkey-bar climb through the cage structure
stephen linsley

the structure takes shape during fabrication
photo by glen kinoshita

(left): form development wireframes
(right): final scheme in axonometric view

(left): plan diagrams depict a language of bent components
(right): profiles are combined to create continuous radii members

‘la cage aux folles’ timelapse video
courtesy of WTARCH

project info:

architect: warren techentin architecture
location: los angeles, california, u.s.a.
gallery: materials & applications
construction: wtarch, ramirez ironworks, materials & applications