Pacific Palisades, California

Living Gallery

This spectacular home in the Pacific Palisades designed by famous architect Ray Kappe was undergoing a remodel when solar panels were added to the roof.  The client wanted to maintain their view of the surrounding mature trees while screening the sustainable addition of renewable energy.  As views of the roof occur when traversing a series of floor to ceiling windows this was doubly important.   Airplantman was called to the rescue and enhanced an existing wood lattice, transforming the ordinary into a work of art.  The fact that the design also celebrated the client's passion for Tillandia or air plants was also a plus.  Sixteen lightweight AirplantFrames are arranged in a deconstructed grid pattern that breaks the top edge of the screen in place.  To hide the ordinary wood trellis Airplantman used nearly 30 pounds of Spanish moss tillandsia usenoides to created a textures and living backdrop.  Many people are familiar with spanish moss as its grows naturally in the southern states of the US, festooning old growth trees with its hanging tendrils.  When used in mass within a framework this same species can be nearly unrecognizable, creating a living tapestry against which the bold black and orange colors of the AirplantFrames really pop.  These vertical gardens were designed by Airplantman and are fabricated locally in Los Angeles.  Utilizing powder coated aluminum with a hand strung stainless steel mesh the frames are lightweight, waterproof, and perfect for this project were weight limitations are important as it sits on a roof.  The durability of the frames and plants ensures minimal maintenance is required over time.  The partly shaded located that receives the mild Southern California costal climate made these some happy airplants.  While we could easily have installed an irrigation system the client enjoys giving the project a spray from the hose themselves, enjoying the vivid colors that appear when Tillandsia are wet.  We love when clients engage with their projects routinely, making contemplation of nature and design a part of their daily life.  

Site Time

This installation was memorable for the length of time it took.  Staying up late into the night we planted the 16 AirplantFrames using a wide range of species including balbisiana, concolor, stricta, ionantha, juncea, and brachycaulos.  There were literally air plants everywhere as we composed the pieces and planted them in mass.  After transporting the frames to the site we set to work with the spanish moss and pretty soon it was hours later and hard to imagine anything that wasn't grey and a plant.  We used both the existing openings in the wood lattice and a series of cables to secure the mass planting of Tillandsia usinoides to the screen.  Making sure everything was evenly distributed and created a uniform look was the challenge, but also part of the design vision.  The goal being to contrast the natural foliage texture with the clean geometric form of the frame.  Bends in the trellis structure added further interest, highlighting the interplay between straight lines and wild organic curves emanating from the plants unique forms.