Gehry Prize Winner Sophie Akoury Retells Histories of the LA River Through an Architectural and Archival Lens

2023-01-06T14:12:00-05:00

During SCI-Arc's 2022 M.Arch graduation, three students were awarded the Gehry Prize for the Best Graduate Thesis. In December, we highlighted prize winners Ian Wong and Sue Choi for their project, Earthly Passage. Continuing with our Thesis Review series, we connected with the third Gehry Prize winner, M.Arch graduate Sophie Akoury, to discuss her project, 51mi + 25km = 13ft.

Akoury shares her motivation behind exploring the city's infamous LA River and how its physical and historical existence parallels Lebanon's Beirut River. "Few places can be as contradicting as the Los Angeles River. Without it, LA would not exist (which sounds quite surprising since its existence is often neglected, and calling it a 'river' is sometimes questionable)," she explained. "When I moved to Downtown Los Angeles from Lebanon, I noticed the Los Angeles River's uncanny resemblance to the Beirut River. That intrigued me since the two cities are so different yet share almost the same urban entity as a pa...

Student Works: Building Soft takes on the L.A. River's infrastructure

2013-08-23T21:30:00-04:00

SWA’s Summer Student Program challenges students to reconfigure established systems of infrastructure and landscape, adapting regional developments within a preexisting cultural environment. In its fifth year, the program has dealt mostly with California’s diverse terrain, and now turns its focus to the bedraggled yet beloved Los Angeles River. Seven students from universities worldwide join SWA for four weeks of on-site practice, followed by five weeks of internship in an SWA studio.

Archinect - Features

Gehry Prize Winner Sophie Akoury Retells Histories of the LA River Through an Architectural and Archival Lens

Student Works: Building Soft takes on the L.A. River's infrastructure