Little Library at Los Angeles State Historic Park
We wanted to create something that brought our community together. Here’s a video on how we turned a Platform desk into a little library.

Like all good neighbors, we here at Output wanted to help make our community near Downtown Los Angeles a wee bit brighter. The plan was to upcycle our studio desk, Platform, into a little library for everyone to enjoy.

The goal was to realize the idea of flipping a musical idea into something you’ve never heard before. Here we had the chance to do that in a more physical way. We liked the challenge of taking Platform in a completely new direction. The question: How could we reinvent Platform into something completely new? The answer: Re-craft it into a little central library for the neighborhood where we can share books with one another.

First, we contacted the California State Parks office, which maintains the massive 32-acre Los Angeles State Historic Park across the street from the Output office. It was recently reopened after some much-needed remodeling and it looked spectacular. 

Meanwhile, in the office, the team picked apart Platform prototypes hidden in corners around the building. Our coworker’s dogs would sniff them, but they provided little other use. We then invited architect Meghan Hui to start reimagining the prototype and breathe new life into it. 

“I felt like it was a really great opportunity for Output to allow me the freedom to explore different designs and different aesthetics,” Hui said, adding that altering the desk was an interesting challenge for her. 

Jacob Falk, a designer and cohort of Kim’s at NULL-LA, said they wanted to mirror some distinctive elements of Platform in the little library, including the Output logo. “Repurposing the desk provided some pretty interesting size limitations,” said Falk. “We were dealing with built-in constraints, which are fun. I think constraints help focus and target your final design, no matter what it is.” 

Reusing the slides and the hardware from Platform was important for the pair, but what else could be done? A quick scan around the Output office provided the last spark of inspiration. The bikes!

To formally launch the creation, friends like Ableton and the Musicians Institute donated a bunch of different books. And, we brought in local band the Vignes Rooftop Revival, a group that self-describes their sound as “houseplant lullabies” and “pre-World War III jazz.” We wheeled the stacked library to the park with the team, posted up, and enjoyed tunes from the band. The gift was complete. 

The little library signifies all of the different creative energies that Output is a part of. It also represents the process of reinvention, something very core to us as music-makers.

Visit our little library and feel free to take a book and leave a book. Join in and share what gets your creativity going!

Where is the little library?

The Little Library is located at the LA State Historic State Park Welcome Center from Wednesday to Friday, 10am-3pm.

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