In LA Climbs: Alternative Uses for Architecture climbs are photographed named, graded, and appear alongside topographic diagrams and detailed route descriptions. Crossing over from artistic intervention to a guidebook for the climber bored with legitimate locations, Hartley's project has similarities to the exploits of the legendary Frenchman Alain Robert (who famously scaled the Petronas Towers, the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building) or skateboarding culture where empty swimming pools are used as alternative sites for extreme skating. These acts of architectural misinterpretation encompass an eclectic selection including Hartley's climb up the infamous Hollywood sign, Frank Gehry's New Disney Hall, as well as classic mid century Case Study Houses and iconic works by architects such as Wright, Schindler, Meier, Koenig, Lautner and Neutra. These exploits come together to reveal a perception of the city and its architecture reduced to surface, texture and relative distance from the ground. Through a combination of colour photography, drawings and diagrams, this book provides an alternative view of key sites and buildings in and around LA. 108 colour hb/w illustrations
