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ACTION ITEM: (1) Consideration of a Request to Approve the Architecture as Art Proposal at 9814 Washington Boulevard by Brooks + Scarpa on Behalf of Rethink Culver, LLC.; (2) Discuss and Provide Comments as Deemed Appropriate; (3) (If Desired) Advance the Proposal to a Separate Professional Panel for Review as Outlined in the Public Art Ordinance #2013-003; and (4) Determine the Final Steps to Complete the Approval Process with the Cultural Affairs Commission.
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Meeting Date: December 8, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Sam Lee/ Cultural Affairs Analyst, Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6001
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (12/04/25)
Department Approval: Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager (12/03/25)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee (1) consider the request to approve the Architecture as Art proposal at 9814 Washington Boulevard by Brooks + Scarpa on Behalf of Rethink Culver, LLC.; (2) Discuss and Provide Comments as Deemed Appropriate; (3) (If Desired) Advance the Proposal to a Separate Professional Panel for Review as Outlined in the Public Art Ordinance #2013-003; and (4) Determine the Final Steps to Complete the Approval Process with the Cultural Affairs Commission.
BACKGROUND
Architecture as Art was approved by the City Council in 1995 as an option in fulfilling the City’s public art requirement for tenant improvement projects exceeding $250,000 and new development projects in excess of $500,000. Specific language was added under Sections §15.06.160 and §15.06.165 of the City’s Public Art Ordinance #2013-003 to include this component. (These criteria include that the architect shall be substantially recognized in the art world; the underlying concept of the architecture shall be expressive of high artistic merit and extend beyond the utilitarian; the materials and craftsmanship shall be of high quality; and, the architecture shall meet all the general criteria of Section §15.06.130 et seq. for placement of artwork on private property). A fact sheet that summarizes the process and procedures for approving Architecture as Art as outlined in the City’s municipal code is included (ATTACHMENT 1).
If advanced by the CAC Public Art Subcommittee, a review panel, comprising two commercial architects, one visual artist, one visual arts administrator, and one general design professional such as a landscape architect or commercial interior designer, will convene to review the Architecture as Art application and provide comments and a recommendation to the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee. At least one of panel members shall be a Culver City Business owner or resident. The Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee will then make a recommendation to the Cultural Affairs Commission for consideration and final approval.
The development at 9814 Washington Boulevard, which is immediately adjacent to the Kirk Douglas Theater, is a mixed-used project, consisting of three-four levels, with 2,725 SF of new ground floor commercial space and thirty-four (34) residential units that would include two (2) very low-income and four (4) moderate units. The development is coined as the Culver Theater Apartments by the developer.
On October 27, 2025, the City Council approved an amendment to the Disposition and Development Agreement with Rethink Culver, LLC., which related to the construction of this development, allowing the project to move forward. Staff report, letter of support, approved minutes from the October 27 City Council meeting are attached for context. (ATTACHMENTS 2 - 6)
DISCUSSION AND APPLICANT CONCEPTUAL STATEMENT
Brooks + Scarpa on behalf of Rethink Culver, LLC. is requesting the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee consider the request to approve the Architecture as Art proposal. The sculptural stair enclosures at the development were conceived as a work of art, integral to the architecture. Their underlying concept derives from the image of a dynamic curtain: a diaphanous, cinematic veil whose visual qualities shift with movement, light, and time. While the stairs themselves are materially static functional elements, the shaped aluminum louvers are arranged to produce a sense of flowing drapery that modulates density, rhythm, and shadow. This interplay transforms the vertical circulation cores into expressive sculptural objects anchoring the public paseo, designed to “express ideas, meaning, and conceptual complexity,” consistent with the criteria for Architecture as Art established in Ordinance No. 2013-003.
Rooted in Culver City’s cultural and cinematic heritage, the piece draws on the language of film strips, sequential framing, and performance. As pedestrians move around the building or as occupants ascend within the stair, the louvers create a constantly shifting series of views and vignettes, revealing and reframing the city beyond. In daylight, the fins cast animated shadows that create a waterfall-like visual cascade; at night, internal illumination transforms the enclosure into an urban lantern, extending the performative qualities of the historic Kirk Douglas Theatre into the contemporary streetscape. This experiential richness allows the architecture to operate simultaneously as infrastructure and cultural artifact, contributing visual identity and symbolism to Washington Boulevard and the broader public realm.
Fabricated from corrosion-resistant aluminum with a durable PVDF finish, the louvers reflect a high level of craft and permanence. Their profiles were refined through iterative sketching, full-scale prototyping, and collaboration with specialty fabricators, ensuring the final work embodies both artistic precision and long-term civic durability. As an integrated sculptural system that elevates a required building element into something culturally resonant, the stair enclosures fulfill the ordinance’s intent that Architecture as Art be “a significant and unique representation of architectural artwork.” They stand as a contribution to Culver City’s ongoing legacy of innovation in art, design, and storytelling.
If advanced by the CAC Public Art Subcommittee, a separate professional panel will independently convene to review, provide comments, and make a recommendation to the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee. The final approval will be determined by the Cultural Affairs Commission in a subsequent meeting.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Given that there already exists a 1% APPP requirement associated with the pending development, the impact on staff resources is minimal for coordination and oversight. There is no direct fiscal impact other than staff time devoted to guiding the process. The property owner/developer has responsibility for all costs associated with this proposed project including design, materials, and labor.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 25-12-08_ATT 1_Architecture as Art_Fact Sheet.pdf
2. 25-12-08_ATT 2_Brooks + Scarpa Architecture as Art Proposal.pdf
3. 25-12-08_ATT 3_Brooks + Scarpa for Rethink Culver_Architecture as Art Statement.pdf
4. 25-12-08_ATT 4_Letter from CTG to Rethink 10-20-27.pdf
5. 25-12-08_ATT 5_City Council Meeting_Rethink Culver LLC_25-10-27 Staff Report.pdf
6. 25-12-08_ATT 6_City Council_25-10-27 Meeting Approved Minutes.pdf
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee:
1. Consider the Architecture as Art Proposal by Brooks + Scarpa on behalf of Rethink Culver, LLC.; and,
2. Discuss and provide comments as deemed appropriate; and,
3. (If desired) advance the proposal to a separate professional panel for review as outlined in Public Art Ordinance 2013-003; and,
4. Determine the final steps to complete the approval process with the Cultural Affairs Commission.