LAA Office, a Columbus, Indiana-based multi-disciplinary design studio, has unveiled its transformation of a street in downtown Columbus into a new arts district. Called 6th Street Arts Alley, the project was realized in collaboration with the Columbus Area Arts Council.

This project aimed to both establish greater connectivity between establishments and reinvigorate undervalued spaces between buildings along 6th Street, an area that is home to a burgeoning arts and design scene with several community organizations, creative businesses, and studios. 

LAA Office introduced 10,000 square feet of street improvements, with the most notable addition being a vibrant, geometric ground mural made alongside student and community volunteers. Another mural on the south façade of the historic Odd Fellows building by artist Nick Abstract was also added. Additionally, a custom collection of modular furniture designed by LAA Office and moveable planters by Anova Furnishings are featured. Together these interventions serve the purpose of creating a holistic and flexible space for social gathering and relaxation, while adding a visual identity for the city. 

“The idea of pulling apart three distinct planes (ground, vertical, and overhead) as canvases for artistic intervention is deeply related to our understanding of 6th Street as an outdoor room,” said LAA Office Co-founder Daniel Luis Martinez. “The existing urban condition already creates an intimate space in the city. Our goal was to simply make those boundaries more explicit and vibrant through site-specific artworks.”

6th Street Arts Alley is the second project on 6th Street by LAA Office. The first, called Learning Patterns, is a large-scale, black and white mural derived from a smaller artwork exhibited at a gallery on 6th Street in 2019. This project inspired the idea that 6th Street could become a public space dedicated to the arts. 

For the second phase of 6th Street Arts Alley, LAA Office will develop the design of a custom shade and lighting canopy. A public opening of the revitalized street will be held on November 3, 2021 from 5-7pm EST.