The Gold and Red Lines of the Los Angeles Metro should be designated as the “art and culture Metro Lines”. They were among the earliest ones built and the Metro invested a significant amount of money in site-specific artwork for each station along these two lines. The newer Metro stations still have art–mostly in the form of tile panels–but nothing quite like the Gold and Red Line stations.
The apartment buildings are in a deep brick red color. The Old Pasadena trolley station from back in the early 1900s is the low gold color building in the front. And behind it, slightly left of center, is a gray tower, the site specific art for the Del Mar Station. From the street it is almost unnoticeable.
At the Del Mar station the artwork designed by Ries Niemi is dwarfed by the massive rental apartment complex that surrounds it. But go inside the plaza behind the old trolley station and here is what you will see:
It may look like a kind of industrial building, but it is part of the artwork created for this station by Ries Niemi. It shelters the entrance to the stairs to the garages for the apartment complex.In addition to the tower, Niemi created decorative elements for the barriers in this station. At the Del Mar station the Metro plunges underground.A detail of this artwork which shelters the stairs to the lower level garages of the apartment buildings.Los Angeles had an extensive trolley system back in the first half of the 20th Century. When cars became more popular in the 1950s, the trolley tracks were pulled up. This one trolley station remains but is now a very popular restaurant.About a block away is the historic Castle Green, the last remaining building of a hotel built back when Pasadena was a resort destination. It is an artwork in itself.
To receive new posts sign up using the form on the upper right side of this page. There is more to Los Angeles than movie stars and beaches!
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
