Vortex Plaza---2002
Project Site:
911 Communication Dispatch Center-Los Angeles
Funded by:
Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department/ Public Art Program
To symbolize the processes and human dimensions of the 911 System, this program is comprised of: caller location codes and police incident codes inscribed on the plaza; a seemingly chaotic array of elliptical columns with dark polished surfaces to reflect the city in a malevolent manner; words inscribed on the outer wall, which suggest the police department's role as a community resource; a glass cylinder, with inscriptions suggesting the interface between an operator and community resources via technology.
The interactive space in the cylinder symbolizes that fragile moment when the person in distress calls the 911 System, to make an empathic yet anonymous connection. To suggest the essential anonymity of this encounter, a stainless steel revolving door panel is centered within the cylinder, with texts inscribed on both sides -questions typically directed toward callers, on the other side, a collective composite story that suggests the psychological aftermath of these incidents. People on either side of the panel can talk to each other and cooperatively interact and revolve the panel, but not see each other, thus symbolizing the anonymous yet empathic encounters of the 911 System.
Constructed of polished extruded aluminum, safety glass, aluminum, perforated stainless steel, revolving door components, and texts inscribed on glass and aluminum.
