Keep It Simple, Set It Free

I finally have had it and must put in my two bits’ worth about Thousand Oaks’ notorious copper curtain. I have been a resident of our fair city for 23 years, if that buys me any credibility.

I have to admit that I have only observed the great “refrigerator condenser” debate via various news articles and have not attended any meetings, forums or other public input sessions. I did submit my vote in one of the surveys that I assumed would render a decision and put the thing to bed, once and for all. That, however, is not the T.O. way.

My questions are:

* Can’t we keep it simple--and way less expensive?

The batch of ideas that appear close to adoption (if consensus can be reached, of course) are all foolishly overreaching and costly. They include proposals for a bunch of little stainless steel oak trees overlaying the copper panels, other stainless steel renderings and other proposals that would remove the curtain and replace it with masonry and frescoes in some Middle Ages theme.

The existing rectangular copper panels could be acid washed or otherwise chemically treated to create an image selected by the City Council, without all this added construction and cost. The image (I see the city’s own oak tree logo and, if you must, the little civic arts nymph overlaid, using bright copper “pickling” and green copper oxide treatment) would have naturally muted, subtle tones, without further flamboyance created by stainless steel or fresco colors.

This etching or pickling could be done in place, without added construction or dismantling.

*

If you really are willing to go out on a limb, pun intended, proceed to my next suggestion:

* Why not free the curtain?

The original design had each of the rectangular panels on attached in a manner that would have allowed them to move independently in the breeze, giving life to what is now a stiff, unaesthetic work that looks like a refrigerator condenser.

Who or what convinced city officials that this free-fluttering design would put the city at risk of liability? The idea that one or more of the panels would detach in high winds and kill passing motorists on the Ventura Freeway? Or that the attachments would wear out and panels would fall on innocent passersby? Come on!

Was there a liability assessment done by the city’s underwriter indicating it was too expensive to insure? Were other insurance specialists consulted?

I suspect the city’s attorney’s wimpy staff painted a grim picture of decapitated sports car drivers on the freeway, and that the City Council caved in without giving due consideration to what would have been an avant-garde sculpture, with or without additional graphic enhancement.

Thousand Oaks no doubt could have had Lloyd’s of London insure a free curtain for a billion dollars for the next 100 years for what it is proposing to spend on reconstruction.

Alas, I am not a licensed architect or an overpaid art consultant, so my ideas will likely have very little weight. And besides, this fiasco has progressed (not really a good word here) to a point of no return. It is now impossible to take a few steps back, take a few deep breaths and regroup. No, I seriously doubt that even the advice of Leonardo da Vinci himself would be heard at this juncture.

I have two simple requests: Keep the curtain, and free it. Make it a living sculpture as originally intended. Create any image you choose on the metal panels, but use tasteful metal finishes. And curb the spending.