The West Hollywood City Council on Dec. 5 approved plans to turn urban locations into functional outdoor spaces known as “microparks,” and gave a green light for work to begin at two sites.

The “#WeLoveWeHo” selfie wall will be installed at West Hollywood City Hall as part of the city’s new “micropark” project. (photo courtesy of city of West Hollywood/Moore + Friesl)

Designs by the firms Moore + Friesl and Utopiad Inc. were approved for “microparks” on a sidewalk and wall next to city hall, and on Santa Monica Boulevard at the intersection of La Peer Drive, just west of Robertson Boulevard. The council also instructed city staff to explore options for creating “microparks” at three additional locations. The projects are expected to be completed by February.

“It will create additional recreational experiences in unexpected places,” said Bianca Siegl, long range and mobility planner for West Hollywood. “Five teams were selected to promote ideas at locations on city sidewalks. [the council] wanted to see what creative ideas they have for unexpected places.”

The “microparks” will take two forms. On sidewalks, installations will generally be approximately 10-by-6-feet in size. A separate type involves artworks installed on a wall, pole or the ground, creating a surrounding space to engage viewers.

Utopiad will create an art installation titled “Kaleidoscope” on the edge of the sidewalk near Santa Monica Boulevard and La Peer Drive. The project will include a series of colorful, rotating mirrored acrylic prisms that reflect light, the texture of surrounding buildings and the movement of people walking by, according to a staff report.

Utopiad’s “Kaleidoscope” will be located on Santa Monica Boulevard. (photo courtesy of city of West Hollywood/Utopiad Inc.)

Moore + Friesl will create a piece titled “#WeLoveWeHo,” which will be installed on the western wall of city hall, near Santa Monica Boulevard and Sweetzer Avenue. The piece will be a “selfie wall” comprised of white heart-shapes with the city’s logo in the center in rainbow-colored hearts. Although not a “park” in the traditional sense, the wall installation encourages people to pose in front for photographs that can be uploaded to social media sites using the hashtag #WeLoveWeHo. The project was referred to as “Instagram-bait” in a staff report, which also stated that people can take “a digital postcard to share with friends and family across the globe.” The city is also requesting that an art component such as a pathway of heart shapes be created on the sidewalk leading to the “selfie wall.”

The projects will cost approximately $7,500 and the funding is already budgeted. Construction is expected to begin in January.