Creative Class Breathes New Life into Empty Spaces

The recession has left many real estate properties empty across the country. In Los Angeles, some of those empty spaces are being revived by the city's artists.

1 minute read

April 1, 2010, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


Writer Alissa Walker takes a look at some of these reused empty spaces, and discusses how other creative types can get involved in taking advantage of a down real estate market for innovative space-based projects and installations.

"The fact that these three creatives have founded true cultural centers and succeeded in doing it in a place as notoriously scattered as Los Angeles makes me believe their concepts are true models for success.

I bring this up now because probably every designer, architect or artist I've ever spoken with has expressed the desire to open and operate a space: a gallery, a store, a classroom. And I would say this is the time. There's a reason this is the age of the pop-up shop: space is available, and it's yours for the taking. Use this moment when you've got a little extra downtime to inhabit the empty space next door, or some available space in your office that's looking a bit lonely. Creating a space is the perfect opportunity to collaborate on a concept with other designers that helps all of you stay visible, busy, and creatively-fulfilled."

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 in Core77

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