"Long Air, or L.A" by Fabian Dietrich.

Imagine dissecting a region and collaging areas together in order to study the relationships between two different urban landscapes. Fabian Dietrich uses his thesis, Long Air, or L.A, to do just this by creating "a composite of disparate communities, united by the shared idea of a city." Influenced by British architecture duo Smout Allen and their two drawing series LA To Be Done and LA Recalculated, Dietrich creates a conceptual cut-out using two Southern California cities, Bel Air and Long Beach, to test his hypothesis.

Since completing his M.Arch from the University of Southern California (USC), Dietrich's job search has been a bit different from other COVID-19 era graduates, as he has been able to successfully enter the workforce. Dietrich shares his own perspectives as an international student to observe how the industry has been affected by the pandemic and what students should take away from these challenging times.

Archinect's Spotlight on 2020 Thesis Projects: 2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for architecture graduates. Students were displaced as schools shut down, academic communities had to adapt to a new virtual format, end-of-year celebrations were canceled or changed dramatically, and now these students are graduating into an extremely challenging employment market. To support the 2020 class we're launching a summer series of features highlighting the work of thesis students during this unique time of remote learning amid COVID-19. Be sure to follow our 2020 thesis tag to stay up to date as we release new project highlights.

...my thesis is a composite of disparate communities, united by the shared idea of a city. I construct an architectural-urban metaphor—a compressed conglomerate consisting of parts of Long Beach and Bel Air: Long Air, or L.A.

Please describe your thesis.

We all know that a city is built in the minds of its residents. Similar to society, a city constitutes something intangible, a bundle of inconceivably complex social relations, mediated by a shared idea. In their two drawing series LA To Be Done and LA Recalculated, the British architecture duo Smout Allen recognize the value of Los Angeles as urban scale laboratory. I propose a conceptual cut of the city discarding everything between latitude 33.8 to 34.0. This causes the upscale residential neighborhood Bel Air to be adjacent to the industrial Pacific port district Long Beach. My resulting site is a 300-foot x 300-foot hybrid of mountains and sea, of the spoils of globalization and its imposing implementation, and of a reclusive ultra-elite and an exposed working class torn between their occupation in trade and their desire to use some of their fireworks on their new neighbors.

Like Los Angeles, my thesis is a composite of disparate communities, united by the shared idea of a city. I construct an architectural-urban metaphor, a compressed conglomerate consisting of parts of Long Beach and Bel Air: Long Air, or L.A.

My priorities totally changed...Since my audience would only see my work through a Zoom window in their 1080p laptop screens, I knew that I needed the opposite of perfection. Instead of having a few super polished renders, I ended up producing many more quick-and-dirty rendered frames to convey atmosphere and meaning.

How did your project change as studios transitioned to remote learning?

My priorities totally changed: rather than building a physical model or working on high-resolution drawings, I focused on an easily consumable experience in the form of two videos. Since my audience would only see my work through a Zoom window in their 1080p laptop screens, I knew that I needed the opposite of perfection. Instead of having a few super polished renders, I ended up producing many more quick-and-dirty rendered frames to convey atmosphere and meaning.

Any tips for students as they continue to work on their thesis?

Your teacher's power is weakened, and all studio spaces are evacuated. This is the perfect time to do exactly what you want to do. Every architect who plans to start their own practice later needs a design language and philosophy. Dig deep and forget the line weights (for now).

As a recent graduate experiencing the direct effects of the pandemic, how do you feel about the architecture industry right now and job prospects?

Fortunately, I got a job right after school in the company of my former USC professor Warren Techentin Architecture (WTARCH). Otherwise, I would have needed to leave the country - like so many other international students on precarious visas. From talking to my graduated friends and colleagues, I know that the struggle is real. Despite (superficially?) good economic conditions, many architecture companies are very reluctant to hire.

Another thing I hope for is that architectural associations around the world increase cooperation and mutually acknowledge their credentials. Right now, there is lots of red tape for anyone who wants to practice in several countries, especially for young architects.

Where do you hope the industry improves for recent graduates and young professionals?

I hope that the architecture industry continues to grow in numbers and diversity, while also being mindful of sustainability. Another thing I hope for is that architectural associations around the world increase cooperation and mutually acknowledge their credentials. Right now, there is lots of red tape for anyone who wants to practice in several countries, especially for young architects. And, of course, more pay is always better.