Archinect - News

How the Toilet Can Be an Icon of Social Justice, Sustainability, and Wellness

2021-03-08T18:10:00-05:00

Located at the intersection of sculpture and architecture, TOLO's XYYXXY Accessible Restroom is designed as a counterpoint to the “normative” bathroom. The plan takes the shape of a disfigured cross with a “non-gendered” toilet or urinal stall located at the end of each spoke. The impetus for the project was North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” HB2, which sought to restrict the bathroom transgender people can use. XYYXXY emblematizes the cultural issues at play in these so-called “Potty Laws,” as well as other historic civil rights laws, that have sought to define how restrooms are designed and used.

Join us as we talk to the designers of the XYYXXY Accessible Restroom, TOLO Architecture partners Sarah Lorenzen and Peter Tolkin, for a presentation and discussion Monday, March 15th, from 1-2 pm EST / 10-11 am PST, looking at the potential of the toilet.

To RSVP for this virtual panel, please click the "reserve" button at this link. Space is limited and registration is required to attend....

The Neutra VDL House Celebrates its National Historic Landmark Status

2017-04-26T13:13:00-04:00

Built in 1932, the VDL Research House designed by Richard Neutra is one of Southern California’s modernist gems. Now it has been named a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior following the tireless work of its owners, the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation and, in particular, the VDL House director and chair of the architecture department at Cal Poly, Sarah Lorenzen. The effort was assisted by Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff, who helped celebrate the designation last Sunday.

Neutra’s third building in the United States, and his own private home, the House is said to encapsulate his ideas. For the famed Austrian-American architect, the role of contemporary architecture was to shape life in the modern world, marked by new technologies and new lifestyles. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the House is “the only property where one can see the progression of his style over a period of years and is among the key properties to understanding the nation...

Listen to the second live Next Up interview with Sarah Lorenzen, chair at Cal Poly Pomona and resident director of the Neutra VDL House

2015-10-31T12:39:00-04:00

After we wrapped our first live-podcasting series, "Next Up", held at Jai & Jai Gallery in Los Angeles' Chinatown and at the opening weekend of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, we had over four hours of live interviews to release. Now, we're letting them loose as "Mini-Sessions", leading up to the premiere of Archinect Sessions' second season on Thursday, November 5. We'll also be launching a brand new podcast soon, so keep your eyes and ears open.

Without further ado, please enjoy our second Next Up Mini-Session, an interview with Sarah Lorenzen. We'll be sharing more Mini-Sessions in the coming days, and remember to subscribe to Archinect Sessions to not miss an episode! You can listen to past Mini-Sessions here.

Listen to our "Next Up" interview with Sarah Lorenzen:

iTunes: Click here to listen, and click the "Subscribe" button below the logo to automatically download new episodes.
Apple Podcast App (iOS): click here to subscribe
Stitcher: click here to listen
SoundCloud: click here ...

Sarah Lorenzen is the New Chair of Cal Poly Pomona Arch.

2013-01-10T20:06:00-05:00

Cal Poly Pomona Architecture Department gets a new energetic chairperson to take the school to a new and better direction.

Dean Michael Woo of College of Environmental Design breaks the news:

"I am happy to announce that Associate Professor Sarah Lorenzen is the new Chair of the Architecture Department. Many of you know Sarah from her teaching and her role as Director of the Neutra VDL Research House. Now she will have the opportunity to lead the Architecture Department into a new era."

In a personal note, I want to publicly congratulate my colleague Sarah Lorenzen for a job well earned. I have all the faith in her that she has the talent to lead and give the school a new breath of fresh air and dynamism.