The Cognoscenti Coffee cocktails were flowing (and frothing) at the Neutra VDL House on Saturday May 2nd, as Archinect, the VDL House and the Graham Foundation hosted the book launch of Treatise, a series of publications wherein 14 relatively new design offices explored the question "Why Write Alone?" Featuring work from emerging talents such as Andrew Kovacs, Point Supreme, and SOFTLab, the project is part of a larger mandate to explore creative approaches to architecture, and was initially part of an exhibition featuring over 200 models, images, drawings, and multi-media installations curated by Jimenez Lai in Chicago in January.
Photo by Diana Koenigsberg
Several hours into the party, the stylishly-dressed Lai mounted the gravel strewn median above the courtyard to toast the Graham Foundation for providing the grant that made Treatise possible. He also thanked Archinect's Paul Petrunia for hosting the event, to which over 250 attendees affirmatively R.S.V.P.-ed.
Photo by Diana Koenigsberg
Photo by Diana Koenigsberg
"I was supposed to fly back to Vancouver tonight, but I changed my plans," explained one party-goer, who was intent not only to check out Treatise, but the VDL House itself, which is managed by the department of architecture at Cal Poly Ponoma. The student-run party started at 5:00 pm and officially (ahem) ended at 8:00, and was held on an evening in which a light breeze kept everyone cool in the VDL's outdoor courtyard, the iceplant-strewn second story balcony, and on the third story deck. Students and faculty from all major L.A. architectural schools including Sci-Arc, UCLA and Woodbury were in attendance, as were architects including Barbara Bestor, Benjamin Ball, Florian Idenburg of SO-IL, and Marcelo Spina and Georgina Huljich of p-a-t-t-e-r-n-s. The designers mingled with visiting photo editors from Italy, filmmakers, and design PR maven Erin Cullerton of Design Agency Co as the sun sparkled on the adjacent Silverlake reservoir and dance-worthy music played on speakers placed throughout the house. The book table did a brisk business throughout the evening, prompting authors to balance a drink in one hand as they signed copies for attendees with the other.
Photo by Diana Koenigsberg
6 Comments
Was there a red carpet for this event? Because oh man does that bird shirt win!
if you look at that birds eye view it would seem that blue is that new black...
Proudly sporting my blue (formal) Hawaiian shirt.
Jimenez's tie/shirt combo is also to die for!
Having Cognoscenti Coffee was such a great idea. It was a pleasure to help out!
massive props to the Eagle Shirt! That's says legit action ;)
Hawaiian should be the new Black! Architects would make more money if they dressed like Jiminez Lai!
don't ever get caught looking this intellectual in Black! (if you look for this image, say 2002-2003 archinect, back when you had the submit photo thing, you'll find a discussion on dressing all black, not sure that exists or could be found, appears now you can only go back to 2004)
so when we doing this on the East Coast?
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