Materials & Applications (M&A) presents Light Gauge, an architectural installation by the international design and research practice Departamento del Distrito that will function as a zone of performance, encounter, and cooling, mediated by two photovoltaic space frames that levitate above the M&A x Craft Contemporary Courtyard. Informed by adaptable industrial systems and network thinking, this temporary intervention will address questions surrounding energy and infrastructure in Los Angeles, exploring the policies, technologies, and architectures that enable self-determination.
The intervention is organized by two distinct zones: twin photovoltaic space frames positioned above the courtyard and an open, flexible ground plane below. Working with the courtyard’s north-south axis, photovoltaic modules are arranged due-south to provide shade for zones of collective occupation while generating all power required for public programming. At the community scale, Light Gauge is concerned with local strategies of renewable energy production and distribution that aim to increase the accessibility of essential resources. A cooling center serves as the installation’s primary public program. Panels provide shade. Fans generate a subtle breeze. Energy is free.
The M&A x Craft Contemporary Courtyard is a partnership between Materials & Applications and Craft Contemporary. Each summer since 2021, M&A transforms Craft Contemporary’s courtyard into a venue grounded by a public work of experimental architecture. A series of summer events brings architects, artists, and storytellers together into dialogue, with renewed focus on urban environments and community engagement. Light Gauge aims to activate an interest in the overlooked materiality of our energy infrastructure, bringing together expert and non-expert publics in conversation about shared resources in Los Angeles’s design and material culture.
About
Materials & Applications (M&A) is a Los Angeles-based organization pursuing a public, participatory, and just culture of experimentation in architecture. With a focus on architectural ideas and processes, M&A curates critical exhibitions and commissions new work by under-recognized architects, designers, and artists. Our exhibitions give space to exceptional experiments across multiple disciplines while challenging the relationship between art, architecture, and public encounters. Through an annual calendar of programs, including hands-on workshops, performances, and conversations, we explore how art and architecture can transform underutilized spaces into unexpected encounters. Since 2002, M&A has produced more than 25 temporary site-specific installations and over 100 programs presenting new ideas in art, architecture, and design. Our exhibitions and programs are always free and open to the public.
Craft Contemporary was founded as a museum in 1973, Craft Contemporary reveals the potential of craft to educate, captivate, provoke, and empower. With a focus on contemporary art made from craft media and processes, Craft Contemporary presents dynamic exhibitions by established and emerging artists and designers who are often underrepresented in larger art institutions. Craft Contemporary complements these exhibitions with a creative line-up of educational programs, including hands-on workshops led by professional artists. Craft Contemporary cultivates an environment for people in Los Angeles to deepen their relationship to art, creativity, and one another.