Glendale Main Public Library
5959 W. Brown Street
(59th Avenue and Brown Street)

Mediation
Artists: CoLab Studios LLC/ Matt & Maria Salenger
Completed: May 2008

Mediation is an outdoor classroom for the City’s Water Conservation Program. The classroom is located near the Xeriscape’s southeast corner and can be viewed from inside the library’s main reading room. The classroom’s design blends the geometric forms of the library’s modern architecture with surrounding gardens, cactus, and desert trees. The most dominant feature of the classroom is the 36-foot wide by 10-foot high steel mesh screen. The screen features cut-outs made to replicate the shapes of nearby trees and vines. The project includes seating for 27 and pathway improvements. The surrounding area was reshaped to create a more intimate setting for people of all ages to learn about water conservation and Xeriscape landscaping. This project was a Valley Forward Crescordia Award Winner in 2008.

CoLab Studio LLC – Matt & Maria Salenger are committed to producing artwork that provokes thought and encourages understanding of people’s particular position within the city and the greater environment. Their hope is that their work will provide people with a broader perspective of their surroundings, allowing them to see their situation from a different viewpoint and feel a greater sense of responsibility for it.