PLAZA MAY GET NEW ART; PANEL URGES THAT OAK TREE SILHOUETTE BE ADDED TO COPPER CURTAIN.

Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer

An abstract sketch of oak branches done swiftly during a debate over the Civic Arts Plaza's Copper Curtain has evolved into a design that could break the gridlock over the much-maligned artwork.

An unprecedented panel of local arts leaders appointed three months ago to end nearly two years of divisive debate has recommended suspending a copper silhouette of branches in front of the Copper Curtain on the east wall of the massive building rising above the Ventura Freeway. The assemblage of puzzle pieces also would be treated to produce a verdigris green.

The proposal includes signs for both the east and west walls facing the freeway so passing motorists would know the building is the ``City of Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.''

``It's going to get it done,'' said panel member and city Arts Commissioner Jane Brooks, predicting the City Council will approve the proposal Tuesday. ``One, it's a really good enhancement. Secondly, it will be over so we can go on to spend our energies in a more positive way.''

Thousand Oaks architect Francisco Behr, indeed, hoped the proposal would bring together supporters and critics of the Copper Curtain so the city could enhance what's left of Architect Antoine Predock's original design.

Behr was among those who criticized city officials for altering the Copper Curtain before it was installed by making each strand of copper a uniform length and anchoring them to the Civic Arts Plaza. He said the silhouette of craggy branches would provide a contrast to the linear, textured curtain strands.

``A lot of people have proposed to put an oak tree on that wall. There was a fear of that not appearing sophisticated,'' Behr explained. ``And when I thought about the oak tree, it's not the overall tree that's unique, it's the size and the shape and direction of the branches.''

So Behr drafted a sketch during the panel's second meeting. With the panel's blessing, he developed a more formal design, after taking photographs of some 70 oak trees in the area and working with the images on a computer program.

``I think we think of the oak tree as a symbol (for the city). It's almost gotten to the point where you look at it like a stop sign,'' Behr said in explaining his abstract design. ``It is a symbol, and I think this does it in an elegant, sophisticated way.''

One of the design's selling points is that it does not literally depict a whole oak tree, said Councilwoman Judy Lazar, also a panel member.

``We were going back and forth. The oak tree was the concept everyone said was the most appropriate, but everyone said it was mundane,'' Lazar recalled. ``Then the other concept was the dancing muse, which is the logo for the Civic Arts Plaza. And then we had another proposal of statues on a platform in front of the curtain, but we felt that was too cumbersome.''

Behr then completed his sketch and the panel knew that was what they wanted.

``Frankly, there was no dissension on this,'' Lazar noted.

Behr said he discussed the design with a Los Angeles-area architect who works with Predock.

Noting that the city ``butchered'' the original Copper Curtain design, Behr said his proposal enhances what's left.

``It's not really a curtain anymore. It works as a texture background for the new design because it resembles the bark of an oak tree. The coloration and the vertical pattern is very much like an oak tree,'' Behr explained.

Behr acknowledged that Predock does not favor including signs with the design. But that is something city officials have wanted since the plaza was completed in 1994.

If the council approves the proposal, the copper silhouette would cost about $100,000 and the two signs would cost a total of $75,000.

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PHOTO (Color) A panel has urged that an oak tree silhouette be placed in front of the Copper Curtain. This picture shows how it would look.