Materials and Applications Courtyard (M&A) in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles has hosted several awe-inspiring (and camera-loving) installations. From the structural gymnastics of 2007's Density Fields, to the gorgeously golden black hole of Maximilian's Schell (from 2005), to the inflatable explorations of last year's Light Frames, M&A has kept a constant stream of detailed material exploration in their courtyard. The organization cultivates young experimenters (usually architects or architectural students) who are exploring work mostly developed through computerized parametric techniques. A computer-controlled machine fabricates the materials that are then assembled by lots of helping hands.

For their dedication to exploring how experimental ideas can be built, M&A is Character Approved. And if that wasn't enough, admission is free and the exhibitions are always visible from the street.

The current exhibition, Bloom (pictured), is a giant metal flower whose petals open and close with the heat of the sun. It has been in development for a year and will be up until spring 2012.

[Image: Materials and Applications Courtyard]