Sunset Boulevard Media Follies

Location: West Hollywood, California Size: 50 x 20 ft Status: Complete Program: Media Folly Client: Big Outdoor, Netflix

Modern take on Moderne

Sunset Boulevard has always been a canvas for innovation, from the iconic hand-painted billboards of the 60s to the digital displays of today. Our Media Folly projects build on this legacy, transforming the traditional billboard into captivating and innovative digital art installations. These dynamic displays transcend the static format and materials, embracing new technologies and unconventional structures to become an integral part of the urban landscape. More than just advertising, each Media Folly is a public art piece, enriching the experience of the Sunset Strip and contributing to its vibrant culture.

Invisible Frame

The Invisible Frame is designed to shape the future of Sunset Boulevard by creating meaningful connections through experience. As environmental graphics and signage evolve, new technologies enable visitors and locals to engage with information in new and innovative ways. Breaking away from oversized, static visuals, this reimagined billboard focuses on streamlined functionality, creating a more engaging experience for passersby.

Drawing inspiration from the 1930s and the character of the Constance Bennett Building, the project complements the structure with a floating billboard design. Clad in reflective material, the billboard creates the illusion of images appearing in the sky without a traditional frame or border. This innovative approach redefines signage in West Hollywood, enhancing its value and visibility. By reflecting the historic role of billboards along Sunset Boulevard, the design skillfully distinguishes the new from the old, celebrating the evolving relationship between signage and the urban experience.

In addition to advertising, the billboard offers a new type of space for public art initiatives. Working with groups such as West Hollywood Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA), the billboard will serve as an opportunity for local digital artists to showcase seasonal programs, new campaigns and simultaneous billboard events along the historic boulevard. Using this technology as modern canvas, artists will be able to play with floating subjects that seamlessly integrate into the skyline behind.

The Invisible Frame respects history by giving it space, modeling a new approach to how information, art, and ideas can be experienced.

Streamlined Arbor

The signage at 9157 Sunset seeks to advance Sunset Boulevard’s reputation as a world-class destination for creative billboards. By elevating the existing building’s historic character and modernizing its utility, the transformation from a static to digital billboard will allow the project to readdress the billboard’s relationship to the historic Sentney Building in a more compelling and meaningful way.

Replacing the dated and visually incompatible steel structure, the design of the new sign celebrates the significance of the existing building by respecting its aesthetic achievements and artfully pairing old with new. Through careful consideration of the Sentney Building’s Streamline Moderne design, the sign’s armature synthesizes the natural forms of large, shaded tree canopies surrounding the project into a more fluid interpretation.

The result is a “Streamlined Arbor,” intentionally restrained and simultaneously Modern and Moderne. Pairing natural form and machine technology, the project establishes a unique and poetic moment at the Western boundary of the Sunset Strip.

Working with groups such as West Hollywood Moving Image Media Art Program (MIMA), the billboard will not only promote advertisements, but serve as an opportunity for local digital artists to showcase their work and truly honor the “Creative City”.

Artwork by Hayden Blaz, Rushing Rocks

See More of The Goods...

Everything!