The Westin Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Debuts Flame Flower

The Westin Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego recently celebrated the installation of its iconic new sculpture, 'Flame Flower', that is now displayed in front of the newly remodeled hotel for all visitors and local San Diegans to enjoy. Titled ‘Flame Flower’, the 40-foot dynamic sculpture evokes floral grace, the elemental energy of fire and the flowing movement of sails, birds, and wind, which complements the organic nature of the Westin brand. The sculpture’s asymmetrical design emulates a towering “bouquet” of oversized leaves made from intricately woven stainless steel pieces, creating the ultimate arrival experience for hotel guests. With the hotel’s central location in downtown San Diego and high amount of pedestrian traffic, the sculpture will not only enliven the space for the hotel guests, but for the general public and surrounding downtown community as well.

The petals of ‘Flame Flower’ range in height from 8 to 40 feet and the vertical composition of the sculpture commands views from all approaches to the plaza, as well as from the conference space and hotel rooms above. Additionally, ‘Flame Flower’ takes advantage of the changing light and colors of its surroundings to create an evolving experience for the viewer. Throughout the day, as sunlight passes through the sculptural space, dappled shadows will move throughout the plaza to reference time, much like a sundial. At night, the use of colored LED lights completely transform the space, illuminating the exterior walls surrounding the sculpture, including the hotel’s porte cochere.

“We’re looking forward to sharing this magnificent piece of art with the community and kicking-off the revitalization of the Horton Plaza area with the installation,” said Keri Robinson, General Manager of the Westin Gaslamp Quarter. “This opportunity to elevate our downtown presence and add value and interest to the area with this stunning sculpture is something we are very proud of. Extensive thought went into selecting the ideal piece that could be appreciated by all who pass by.”

Flame Flower was created by local San Diegan (Fallbrook, CA) Michael Stutz, who has done numerous private and public art projects including ‘Pneumatic Dreamer’ for the W Hotel in San Francisco, ‘Wolf Plaza’ for North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and ‘Diaphanous Grove’ for the San Diego County Regional Library in Fallbrook. He uses organic forms with line and movement to invite viewer interaction with his artwork. While living in New Orleans in the mid-nineties, Stutz developed his unique and labor-intensive woven technique, as seen in the Westin’s new sculpture, while building sculptures for the Mardi Gras parades.

With the installation of ‘Flame Flower,’ the Westin Gaslamp Quarter’s property-wide $25 million renovation is almost complete. On the installation celebration date of May 15, 2012, the Westin Gaslamp Quarter held a public celebration to dedicate the art piece to the local San Diego community as well as proclamate the day as 'Westin Gaslamp Quarter Flame Flower Celebration Day'.