Case Study

Laura Plageman at The LINE, San Francisco

The project began with a desire to commission work by a Bay Area artist whose practice could introduce a strong contemporary voice into the hotel through works that felt both visually immersive and subtly disorienting. Laura Plageman transforms familiar landscapes into images that resist settling into a single fixed form.

➝ Watch Laura speak about her practice at a lecture at Cranbrook Academy of Art

Laura Plageman at LACMA

Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) acquired works by Plageman for their permanent collection, shown here in the museum’s exhibition, Nature on Notice.

In the Studio

Plageman digging through work prints in the flat files at her Oakland studio.

Archive of Works

Stacks of portfolios, test print, proofs from various bodies of work — ephemera from decades of exhibitions.

Multiple image configurations and fabrication approaches were explored before arriving at the final triptych installation. Working closely with the artist, the process moved through digital mockups and print studies to find an approach that could preserve the integrity of the work at scale.

Print Study

Reviewing print tests in the artist’s studio during the design process.

Digital Mockup

Testing composition and perceptual impact through on-screen studies prior to production.

Early Concepts

Initial mockups exploring scale, placement, and fabrication approaches for the hotel entrance.

Production required close coordination across printers, framers, fabricators, electrical teams, architects, on-site project managers, freight forwarders, and installers to ensure the work functioned both technically and conceptually within the space.

Technical Drawings

Architectural elevations and dimensional studies for the final triptych installation.

Lightbox Inspection

Testing LED illumination and internal construction during fabrication during a quality control visit.

Production Coordination

Meeting with the printer, framer, and fabrication team to review color, construction, and final production details.

Work in Progress

Detail view of one panel following mounting and framing, reviewed at multiple stages throughout production.

Crating + Delivery Prep

Custom crates fabricated for transport.

Positioned within the hotel’s street-facing vitrine, the triptych was designed to function both as an interior artwork and as part of the visual rhythm of the city outside. Reflections, movement, passing light, and changing conditions become part of the viewing experience, echoing Laura Plageman’s ongoing exploration of perception, fragmentation, and landscape.

Projects like this shape the philosophy behind r+d studios: combining curatorial understanding with hands-on production expertise so ambitious artworks can move from concept to installation without losing their original intent.

Case Study

Based in Los Angeles,working across the U.S.and internationally.

Based in Los Angeles,
working across the U.S.
and internationally.