Sonny Astani’s fascination with the dystopic Los Angeles of ‘Blade Runner’ and his plans to make sci-fi a reality have caught the attention of the New York Times.

In an article published today, the developer recounts his connection with the dark mood of the neo-noir classic, and how that later manifested into a grand vision for Downtown Los Angeles.

Excerpts:

“I saw Blade Runner at a time when L.A. was feeling like that,” he said. “I was feeling like that.”

…He was gripped by the notion of looming skyscrapers covered with moving images and graphics, and the layering of old and new structures.

…That the movie could inspire innovation is not a surprise, Mr. Mead said [a visual-effects artist who worked on the film], adding, “I’ve called science fiction ‘reality ahead of schedule.’”

Also included in the piece are a technical explanation of the sophisticated LED system that would adorn Astani’s twin-tower Concerto project, and a cameo by Downtown resident Eric Lynxwiler.

-A Developer’s Unusual Plan for Bright Lights, Inspired by a Dark Film (NYT)
-concerto’s architectural distinction at street level
-astani realizes ‘blade runner’ concept with concerto