QUICK TAKES - April 9, 2009

A large-scale sculpture called “Elastic Plastic Sponge,” designed by Ball-Nogues Studio in Echo Park in collaboration with students at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, will debut next week at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.

Benjamin Ball, the lead designer, said the installation would be 250 feet long and 25 feet wide, and was made almost entirely of plastic tubing. It is expected to be finished today and will have taken about 12 weeks to create.

And no doubt, festival-goers will find this one cool sculpture: It sprays water on passers-by. The firm incorporated a misting system to provide relief to people under the hot desert sun, Ball said. “It’s all about drawing people together and creating a community within the festival.”

-- David Ng