Last month, a group of graduate students working with city staff designed a model of what downtown Los Angeles would look like if the 101 Freeway were capped and Los Angeles undertook creating its version of Central Park.  While some planners scoffed at the notion, one email I received joked that it looked like a volcano erupted in Downtown LA, overall the project was well received. 

Now you can view the project for yourself.  The 7th and Fig Art Center, the same gallery hosting James Rojas’ car-free downtown model, is also showing the model created by the students.  The "car-free" model and the "Central Park" model are both presented about 20 yards apart creating dueling visions for a better, greener, downtown.

Both exhibits can be viewed until August 8th when the EDAW exhibit moves on.  The 7th and Fig arts center is located in the second floor of the outdoor mall located at the corner of 7th and Figueroa Streets and is open between noon and 4 P.M. daily.  For information on other events at the Art Gallery, visit their website.

Photo: Damien Newton