Specialized skill was required to lay out and dig the art structure footings. Since no engineering plan was available, all dimensions had been handset. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Urban Habitat, a firm in La Quinta, Calif., was called upon to create a park surrounding a unique, mesh-wire art piece left over from the previous year’s Coachella Music Festival and recently purchased by the city of Coachella. The art piece was to be placed near Coachella’s downtown center.
“They’re going through an urban renewal on that street, and the art piece serves as an anchor point for that street as you enter,” says Urban Habitat COO and founder Brett Brennan.
The company removed an old gas station that sat on the corner where the 51-foot structure was to be installed; poured the foundation for the art piece; installed power and electricity for the structure’s custom colorful lighting and irrigation controller; and introduced turf and drip irrigation in the park area.
A total of 192 low-voltage lights were installed and programmed to interchangeable lighting schemes, and six transformers were wired and synced together. The company implemented a Hunter Industries smart controller. The plant material is on drip irrigation, and the turf areas and palm trees make use of the MP3000 low-water-use heads from Hunter.
“The site had no water, so we brought in water. It had no power, so we brought in power for the controller,” Brennan says.
The project was a coordinated effort between Urban Habitat, the city of Coachella and Golden Boys, the entity that puts on the Coachella music festival.
Select each image below to enlarge.
Installation of 96 LED uplighting fixtures precisely placed throughout the paver walkways incisively lighting the art piece. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
The Urban Habitat crew had to install drip irrigation, as well as a paver-base section. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
The project required demolition of existing 1950s fuel station and grading of future park site. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Etherea art piece lit in green. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
The art piece features changing LED-colored uplighting. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Etherea art piece stands out in striking red/orange from the surrounding date palms. LED colored lighting allowed us to showcase the art piece from the surrounding light pollution. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Drone over view of the Coachella Etherea Park showing its unique location and flowing lines. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Crews finalize planting and rock mulch installations. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Etherea art piece lit in multiple colors. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Crews had to hand cut pavers around art structure columns and LED lighting was cored into the paver to keep a level plane. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Specialized skill was required to lay out and dig the art structure footings. Since no engineering plan was available, all dimensions had been handset. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
A crew installs drip irrigation, a paver base section, mow curbing and date palms. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Drone over view of the Coachella Etherea Park showing its unique location and flowing lines. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
Concrete footings ready for the Etherea art piece. Art pieces needed to be set by 40-ton crane. (Photo: Urban Habitat)
