Friday, October 26, 2012

LEVITATED MASS and Architectural Events in November







If you haven’t been to LACMA to see Levitated Mass by Michael Heizer it’s worth the trip.  If you live in LA I am sure you heard of it as it made its journey from Riverside to the museum (unless you’ve been living under a rock and if there weren’t any guards there, you probably could live under this rock).  A good time to see it is on a Wednesday when the museum is closed and there are few, if any, people to block your field of vision.  As the original project manager during my time at AC Martin, I had an opportunity to visit the boulder in its natural habitat at the quarry.  At first viewing from afar, I was not impressed since it was sitting in front of the mountain it had been blasted from, but as I approached it, I realized what a challenge this was going to be to move it and install it on-site in order to create Michael Heizer’s vision.  One gets a similar sensation at the install, as large as the boulder is, it appears to pale by comparison to its surroundings.



 








Beginning of the month time, here are a few going’s on at the A+D  Museum during November.

November 1, 2012
A+D SUGGESTS
Deborah Sussman: "to be"
Deborah Sussman pioneered the field called “Environmental Graphic Design.” Her contributions to “urban branding” have been internationally applauded, and have influenced generations of designers. Come learn more from Deborah’s experience and wisdom during this fascinating presentation.

When: Thursday November 1st, 7.00PM
Where: Art Center College of Design-Hillside Campus
Los Angeles Times Media Center 1700 Lida Street, Pasadena
Admission: Free and open to the public 

November 2, 2012
A+D Event
A+D + CAFAM Joint Admission Day
A+D Museum and the Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) would like to welcome you to join us for the A+D + CAFAM Joint Admission Day! Visitors will be able to get their fill of craft, architecture and design from two museums along the Miracle Mile every first Friday of the month. Visit either institution and receive free admission at the other!

November 3, 2012
PRIVATE EVENT
A+D CLOSED | Private Event
A+D Museum will be closed to the public Saturday, November 3rd for a private event. A+D will reopen to the public Sunday, November 4th. Questions: Please call 323.932.9393
November 9, 2012
PROGRAMS In CONVERSATION | SEEING ARCHITECTURE
'SEEING ARCHITECTURE' with MINA MAREFAT, PHD, AIA + ERIC SAARINEN

Eric Saarinen grew up in a household where “Art was God,” his father was Eero Saarinen, his mother, Lily Swann Saarinen was a sculptor, his grandfather was Eliel Saarinen, Finland’s famous architect and his grandmother Loja was an accomplished artist and sculptor. His father’s best friend was Charles Eames. Not surprisingly, Eric is a successful filmmaker and camera man with an eye for architecture. Join A+D Museum for a special inCONVERSATION event Friday, November 9th at 6pm with Eric Saarinen as the topics of architecture and film, architecture as visual medium, and growing up under the influence of his illustrious parents and grandparents are explored with exhibition curator Mina Marefat, PhD, AIA.

Admission: $15 indiviudal, $7 Student with valid ID, A+D Members FREE

November 13, 2012
PROGRAMS In CONVERSATION | Grand Illusion Panel
On Tuesday, November 13th A+D will host a panel discussion at 6pm about Grand Avenue, MOCA and new development in downtown, with Dean Qingyun Ma, Frances Anderton, Sam Lubell and other guests. The discussion takes off from a graduate studio, led by Frank Gehry and Frances Anderton last year that analyzed MOCA Grand Avenue in relation to 60 years of urban redevelopment on Bunker Hill. This was part of a series of research-based studios, initiated by USC's Dean Ma, that examine the dynamics of the changing city. Guests will also sign copies of the book that accompanied the studio, Grand Illusion: A Story of Ambition, and Its Limits, on L.A.'s Bunker Hill. Drinks will be served. 
Admission: $15 Individual, $7 Student w/ valid ID, A+D Members FREE

November 15, 2012
PROGRAMS SHELTER : Design for Good Screening and Panel Event
Join A+D Museum for a special in COLLABORATION screening and panel event at the Room & Board showroom. The evening sponsored by Room & Board will premiere new media from Shelter, a documentary media project chronicling architects, designers, urban planners and engineers who are using their design skills to create social change.
Following the screening of Shelter, panelists, led by moderator Frances Anderton, will discuss developments in public interest design, its relevance to the design and architecture professions, and whether the practice and growing interest in public interest design will result in lasting change in the way architecture is practiced.
Panelists:
Eric Corey Freed, Principal, organic ARCHITECT
Eric Owen Moss, Director, SCI-Arc; Eric Owen Moss Architects
Robin Osler, Principal, EOA: Elmslie Osler Architect

Admission: $25 Individual, $15 Students and A+D Members, $30 at the door

Friday, October 19, 2012

Architectural Events in Los Angeles for October / November



I’m going to start out today on a somewhat somber note regarding the current state of the Architectural job market in LA.  Everyone knows what a hole the Architectural profession has been in over the last several years.  Looking back to October of 2009, there were only 12 architectural positions, of any type, listed on the various AIA websites in the state.  More recently, conditions seemed to be improving with 19 positions listed on the AIALA.org site in July, 28 positions in August, but then a drop to 6 in September and now only 4 by the middle of October.  Could it be seasonal adjustments...possibly, but there seems to be a drop-off in job websites across the board, especially for senior level staff. 

One of my economic indicators has always been how many Architectural job postings were in the LA Times (not any more of course), and now the various job boards.  My theory being that since it can take years for a project to run its life cycle, from conception to opening the doors, if there is an uptick in Architectural hiring, then the economy would be looking better 2 to 3 years down line as consumers begin to purchase all the goodies that go along with new home ownership or office construction.  We do not appear to be in that condition at this time, so I am projecting a stagnant economy for another few years.  I feel like Punxsutawney Phil and I just saw my shadow…


With that off my chest, let’s see some of what’s coming up architecturally in LA for the next 30 days!
AIA|LA Fall 2012 Home Tour, sponsored by Gruen Associates
October 28th from 11 am - 4 pm, sponsored by Gruen Associates.

Reproduced from the AIALA.org website

 

Los Angeles November 9-10, 2012

When:
Friday, November 09
09:00am - 01:00am
Saturday, November 10
09:00am - 01:00am
Where:  Los Angeles, California
Audience:  Open to the GSD community only
Event Description: 
They are planning a very exciting weekend in Los Angeles from Friday, November 9-Saturday, November 10, 2012. GSD faculty, alumni and friends will be gathering in Los Angeles from around the world to celebrate the GSD’s role in the future of design.

The “home base” for the weekend will be the Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood area. For your convenience, they have secured a room block at a special rate at the Andaz Hotel. Most activities will begin and end in this part of the city. 


Get the full program schedule and registration information!  or go to: 
http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/#/events/harvard-design-los-angeles-november-9-10-2012-1.html


Events, Lectures
 - Organizer: OTIS College of Art and Design
Date/s: 10.25.2012, 19:00 - 10.08.2012, 20:30
- Location: Kathleen Ahmanson Hall, Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Campus, OTIS, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Mr. Conger is one of three founding partners of CMG Landscape Architecture, a San Francisco-based studio. Mr. Conger serves as President and CEO, more:   http://bit.ly/S9gqCy

 

Events, Lectures
 - Organizer: SCI-Arc
Date/s: 10.31.2012, 19:00
- Location: SCI-Arc, Los Angeles, CA, USA
David Ruy is an architect and theorist. He received his M.Arch from Columbia University and his BA from St. John’s College where he studied, more:  http://bit.ly/TySNjK



Events, Lectures
 - Organizer: SCI-Arc
Date/s: 11.07.2012, 19:00
- Location: SCI-Arc, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jimenez Lai is an Assistant Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago and Leader of Bureau Spectacular. He graduated with an M.Arch from University more:   http://bit.ly/VlvkK2


 

Events, Fairs + Conferences
 - Organizer: Architecture for Humanity
Date/s: 11.12.2012 - 11.13.2012
- Location: Autodesk Gallery, 1 Market Street #200, San Francisco, CA, USA
The 3rd annual Design Like You Give a Damn: LIVE! is making its debut this year on the West Coast. We hope you can join us for the preeminent  more:   http://bit.ly/RM3Bvh



Events, Lectures
 - Organizer: SCI-Arc
Date/s: 11.14.2012, 19:00
- Location: SCI-Arc, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sylvia Lavin is a widely published critic and historian who received her Ph.D. from Columbia University. Her most recent book, Kissing Architect more:  http://bit.ly/RP7CT7
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