Lighting Up History

In order to understand the true creative process occurring here you must get an understanding of what is being done and who is doing it, so I will introduce you to one of our lead creative engineering team members in more detail.

​When I first heard about the work of Arman Bastiani of Oval Integration from Ryan it was in relation to a project Arman was working on at Portola Coffee. Arman had created these alchemical looking vessels for Portola Coffee  that have given their barista’s the creative freedom to develop these interesting personalized coffee menus that showcase not only the coffee at its best, but also their amazing talents for making creative coffee drinks. Many may be more specifically familiar with the Cold Drip system for example that has become hugely popular in Urban Coffee Shops.  Anyway, this is how Arman was first introduced to me. 

​Then I was taken to his commercial warehouse in Costa Mesa and learned about how he had also created emoticons for cars so rather than only road rage you can actually communicate with drivers behind you the way you do on Facebook where you like, love, dislike, are sad about something.  This is where things begin to get very interesting. Below is a write up about him in the OC Register.

​The next thing I would learn about Arman is that his group assisted in the project to light up the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. At this point I can honestly say I was blown away by the creative talent of our team member and this is only one of them. 

​Here is what happened next. Arman and his partner looked at the tree on the First meeting I shared about in another earlier blog that is posted below. They took the dimensions and engineered a plan. 

The next step was for Ryan and I to find a contractor who could build this structure so that the lighting apparatus could be set up beside the tree and this is how we would begin to light up History.  A few days back we found our contractor to build this interesting apparatus. 

One of the truly excellent parts of working Downtown is the opportunity we have been given to imagine and affirm the creative process in our Urban Spaces throughout Downtown. The Irish playwright, critic and polemicist  George Bernard Shaw once stated that "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."

I think the point is that if you believe in something and you write it down, like Ryan did when he sent in to get the Grant from the National Endowment from the Arts, that you can achieve many things. The process itself has a snowball effect after that. And if you really take the steps forward and set up the dominoes you know that with the flick of a hand the whole set of dominoes will fall  in place at once. Let the process continue. 

Story by Madeleine Spencer.