Two Glimpses of an L.A. Future

Two exhibits in downtown Los Angeles offer glimpses of a new vision for our city. But absent prompt action by local leaders, that vision could remain beyond our grasp.

* “Discovering the River: Perspectives on the L.A. River Watershed” can be seen through Jan. 5 at the Central Library. The drawings, photographs and maps trace the river’s history from the 18th century, when it was a source of water and food for the Indian population, to the present, when much of the river is a concrete eyesore that serves mainly to channel flood waters to the ocean. But the exhibit primarily looks to a future that envisions the river as part recreational resource, part flood control, part open space.

That future, however, depends on a commitment made by the county Board of Supervisors in September to explore alternative management plans for the river’s upper reaches. As construction of downstream flood control improvements proceeds, the supervisors should consider some of the library exhibit’s imaginative and appealing designs for water reclamation and recreation upstream. One proposal suggests using temporary, inflatable dams during the summers to provide recreational areas for swimmers and boaters. That’s not so far-fetched; such dams have been used on the Colorado River.

* “Walt Disney Concert Hall: A Celebration of Music and Architecture,” housed through April 27 in temporary buildings on the plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art, is a layout of models and drawings designed to spur progress on the stalled new home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

On display is the evolution of architect Frank Gehry’s dramatic concepts for the project, opposite the Music Center. Visitors can even sit within one large mock-up, in a prototype concert hall chair with a view of the orchestra area.

The big problem for Disney Hall is money--overruns have pushed construction costs way over original projections. Planners need an additional $50 million by June 1, and more after that, for work to proceed. The exhibit’s walls bear testimonials from local leaders on the importance of the hall to Los Angeles, testimonials that present an urgent yet poignant tone.

The two exhibits give a sense of what’s possible: The concert hall and river reclamation would create a legacy for our city, and should be more than just museum mock-ups.