Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Later this week the American Institute of Architects floods downtown 23,000 strong for AIA's annual convention and design expo. Here's the overview and schedule-at-a-glance. They don't crank it up officially until Wednesday, but critic Sam Hall Kaplan sets up the confab in today's Downtown News. Sam may be a tad cranky for a reason: he speaks on a panel scheduled for an unbelievable 6:30 am:
Though these oligarchial [sic] American Institute of Architects gatherings tend to be self-aggrandizing - think a highbrow, high school reunion - they do reveal a perspective of how the profession views itself, and its host city. In stating this year's convention theme of "Architecture on the Edge," the institute's guidebook expounds that Los Angeles "is where innovation abounds, influenced by cross-cultural, transcontinental, interdisciplinary practices and discoveries, and where architects stand at the forefront of these dynamics, bringing innovation to life through the power of design."[skip]
Despite more women and minorities graduating from architecture schools, white men still dominate the practice of architecture. For a profession that professes to be on the cutting edge, progressive and populist, it really is conservative and elitist, and boorishly pretentious.
Visiting a multi-cultural, egalitarian L.A. should serve the cliquish AIA well, if only for a few days. Hopefully, as they wander through Downtown's watering holes, someone will buy them a drink and loosen them up.
if you're looking to buy an architect a drink, the Biltmore and Bonaventure are the headquarters hotels. The AIA website promises good deals at other hotels in close proximity to the convention center. Imagine the surprise of registrants who follow the recommendations to the Beverly Hilton, Sheraton Universal or the Hollywood Roosevelt. Cheapest single on the AIA rate: $119 at the Mayfair. Priciest is the double at the Beverly Hilton, $265.
Continue to see a sampling of where architects go on tour when they come to Los Angeles. The Getty, Disney Hall, Gamble House, the Cathedral? Sure, but that's not all. It's an eclectic list...
Among the tour offerings:
Bel Air and Beverly Hills-The Luxury Tour: "One of the first areas with its own security patrol, Bel Air remains one of the most exclusive residential neighborhoods in Los Angeles and has been home to numerous celebrities, politicians, and even a few architects...The luxurious landscaping, combined with the owners' desire for privacy and difficult access except by private automobile, prevent tours of some of these early houses."
Sony Pictures Studios Tour: "See the soundstages where classics as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Funny Girl" were filmed; and go inside the lobby of the Thalberg Building, which has a trophy wall of Best Picture Oscars...When the game shows are not filming, the tour stops at the sets of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune."
Sunset Boulevard Pool Tour: "The swimming pool represents a distinct way of life, private splendor and personal wealth. Sunset Boulevard will be the spine from which to explore some of the best pools in Southern California. The boulevard travels from downtown Los Angeles, connecting Hollywood to Beverly Hills and to the Pacific Ocean through residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and tourist destinations. Pools of acclaimed and historic estates and significant private contemporary residences will be highlighted, depicting the Southern California lifestyle."
Watering Holes of Downtown—Revitalizing the Historic Core: "The Golden Gopher and the Broadway Bar, both by George Kelly, are two sister bars providing an adaptive use for new city dwellers of Los Angeles. Setting the “standard” is the scenic rooftop at the Standard Hotel, renovated by Konig Eizenberg Architecture. Known as a hot spot for hosting private parties, it is known for its red lounging pods, infinity pool, and gorgeous views of Los Angeles’ skyscrapers."
Color-Coordinated Design: "Los Angeles' Fashionistas have it all now—interior design to compliment the dynamic styles of fashion. Trina Turk (by KWID), Miss Sixty (by Studio 63), James Perse (by Jeffery Allsbrook), Suzanne Felsen (by Konig Eizenberg) and LA Eyeworks (by Neil Denari) are a few of the leading names in fashion today. Not only do these new spaces highlight the clothes and accessories of today, they provide interior settings inspired from Hollywood glamour and science fiction to strong expressions of light and space."
The Water Tour: Diamond Valley Lake and Its Water + Life Museums: "Preview the new Water + Life campus comprising two museums, the Center for Water Education and the Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology. Located in the semiarid desert of Hemet, Calif., the museums boast one of the largest institutional rooftop photovoltaic installations in the world (549 kilowatts of power), radiant heating and cooling, and thousands of feet of clear, argon-filled, east-facing glass in a projected LEED gold project."