Morning photo of the new Fault Line Park in San Diego’s East Village. The Central Library’s dome is visible in the background.
An incredibly cool new public park opened in East Village a couple weeks ago. It’s called Fault Line Park, and is located south of Island Avenue between 14th and 15th Street. The park is situated directly above a shallow rupture of the Rose Canyon Fault System, which stretches through downtown San Diego.
In addition to a children’s playground and places to sit and walk, the 1.3 acre Fault Line Park contains a really unique feature. A public art installation, titled Fault Whisper, by artist Po Shu Wang of Living Lenses, allows visitors to monitor our active planet. Large, shining spheres stand on either side of the fault line. At the west sphere, curious ears can listen to the Earth’s subterranean movements, which are recorded by a seismometer embedded below in the actual fault! They can also look through an eyepiece toward the opposite sphere, to see whether the Earth has shifted!
What brilliant, interesting artwork!
Even though I listened intently, I couldn’t hear the Earth whispering early this morning when I took these pics. Perhaps old Mother Earth was still sleeping!
This line marks where a part of the Rose Canyon Fault System has ruptured, just 14 feet below the surface. According to geologists, there’s no great earthquake danger here.Photographer records cool reflections in one of the large stainless steel spheres in Fault Line Park.Plaque describes Fault Whisper public art, created by Po Shu Wang in 2014. Two spheres stand on either side of the fault line. From one you can listen to the Earth and monitor movement.Here’s the opening where you can press your ear to listen. There’s a speaker just inside. The Earth’s movements are translated into musical notes.Looking through eyepiece at the opposing sphere. If the Pacific and North American tectonic plates have shifted since the art’s installation, it isn’t very noticeable.Stella Public House restaurant in East Village is located right next to the cool new Fault Line Park.If Stella Public House is as awesome as the super friendly employee I met, you’d better head over there at once!View of Fault Line Park in East Village from outdoor patio shared by Stella Public House and Halcyon coffeehouse and cocktail lounge.
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Downtown San Diego has been my home for many years. My online activities reflect my love for writing, blogging, walking and photography.
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10 thoughts on “Listen to the Earth whisper at Fault Line Park!”
I have to put that on the list of places to check out!
The Fault Whisper public art looks brilliant, how it makes a feature of the fault line, and how you can listen to the movement transtlated into musical notes. The nearby Public House restaurant looks nice as well!
Cool San Diego Sights! 
I have to put that on the list of places to check out!
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The Fault Whisper public art looks brilliant, how it makes a feature of the fault line, and how you can listen to the movement transtlated into musical notes. The nearby Public House restaurant looks nice as well!
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If there’s a massive earthquake, and a chunk of California splits off and becomes an island, the place will make a nice waterfront park! Just kidding!
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That’s one way of looking at it! Great post!
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Once again, you’ve added a “must-see” to my list!
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If you ever go to the downtown library, it isn’t a very far walk–just a few blocks!
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As one who lives on a fault line (very far south) I prefer the Earth to keep quiet! But lovely photos, anyway.
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Yeah, I know what you mean!
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