Gloriette-R1 is a modern-day American folly. Designed by Andrew Kovacs
(
Colossal Cacti;
Rainbow Forest),
it celebrates the 100 year anniversaries of both the HOLLYWOOD Sign and the Hollywoodland
neighborhood, for which the Sign was originally built.
Re-mixed from meticulously selected, repurposed wood and corrugated metal found in
Los Angeles, the construction pays homage to the original Hollywoodland Sign as much
as the form draws inspiration from the enchanting storybook architecture of the
neighborhood's earliest homes. The result reflects both landmarks' past,
present, and futures; while simultaneously exploring the tension between a global icon
and the charming homes just below.
The work is a contemporary iteration of 12th-century French garden sculptures known as
gloriettes, with "R1" signifying the predominant single-family zoning in
housing deficient Los Angeles.
The installation is visible at the Mulholland Hwy. entrance to Griffith Park —
6101 Mulholland Hwy, Los Angeles, CA 90068. Parking is available in nearby Lake
Hollywood Estates at the Innsdale Trailhead.
