This year at least 3 California arch. schools (UCLA, USC, CCA -- any more?) have searches going on for a new chair or dean, and one museum arch. dept. (SFMOMA) a search for a new curator. How do you all think this bodes for the culture of arch. in Cali? Good, bad, or won't matter...
Changes at the schools combined with this news item re: the massive ongoing investment in making downtown LA more like a "downtown" makes me very interested in watching and seeing where LA will be in 10-15-20 years.
A good friend moved from a strong east coast urban Philly lifestyle to LA several years ago to do her PhD. She made a comment that has resonated with me - that we need to remember that LA and other sprawl-based cities are still very young. In terms of age they are like teenagers, and the teenager-becoming-adult phase of life is doubtless the most fascinating one of all.
abra is probably right, the replacement of 4 figureheads at california institutions won't matter, all that much, in the short term. But long-term LA and so-cal are going to be an interesting urban event.
LA is facinating. I've never been there but have had to present it as an urban typology back in school when no one wanted it - it turned out to be much more exciting from a planning and circulation exercise. I agree with Liberty Bell - its still very young and not yet reached its final form.
Go on google earth or terraserver and just wander around LA. Its almost as good as hanging out at archinect.
won't matter. i really would find it hard pressed to believe that a few deans and a curator could shake the culture of design in california. it's much bigger than a few schools and a museum. good work is being done and many firms have or are gaining repute.
LA's future over the next few decades will be fascinating to watch as LB mentioned. it seems like there's a critical mass being reached also in terms of transportation. rumor has it that the extension of the red line metro through BHills and to west LA is beginning to pick up steam again...
But I would say that cornfields, deans,h and museum curators have about an equivalent influence on the shape of Architecture in California. Not so much. Most of what's interesting here is done by small practices outside of academia.
ahh...but don't forget that people like Thom Mayne to Neil Denai to Hernan Diaz Alonzo have made their names piggy-back on academia. Exposure keeps the world involved. I would not under estimate the role of those who write, think and create opportunities for others...
I can't think that this is going to change the archi-culture of such a huge and diverse place that much, but I must admit I'm as curious as you are about what changes it will make to the academic culture here. Right now in LA, as I see it, Sci-ARC is the wild child that's a bit unstable but ever-so-trendy right now, USC is seen as the most solid undergrad but nobody knows about their grad programs (of which they have several), and UCLA is there, but somehow not really talked about (seriously, I never heard them mentioned before I came on archinect) but apparently a good grad program. I'm very curious as to whether UCLA or USC can manage to change their image a little with the regime changes. VERY curious as to who's short-listed. Anybody heard anything about this? Do you think the same people will apply for both jobs and the two institutions will have to have a money throwing fight over the top candidate?
decatur - good point, and there are a number of other names you could mention. its a line of thought I assumed someone would pick up on. practice and academia have been and probably will continue to be quite symbiotically linked in Cali (and in many other places with a strong base in both arenas)...
as for the points made about SoCal's (and much of NorCal's for that matter) exurban nature and the relative youngness of Cali's cities, it also seems true that they will continue to have a bit of 'a mind of their own' for some time -- and the books mentioned by Banham and Davis along with numerous others -- by Moore, Jencks, Sudjic, Mayne et al, Chandler, Pinchon, Gibson, etc. -- do provide a wealth of further speculations...
but can the discussion be brought back to the culture of architecture (building or theory driven) as somewhat independent of urbanism (as it arguably tends to be in the west, aside from miscellaneous New Urban attempts) vis-a-vis the potential of bringing new vision(s) through such institutions as those mentioned?
An an alum of SCI-Arc (get it right people!) I'd just like to say that on behalf of a mjority of my collegues both faculty and former students we will rejoice when Moss departs...or is lynched by the current student body.
Also, as far as most people are concerned he can take Ming Fung and Chris Genick with him.
Such ineptitude has not been whitnessed since the Donner party decided to attempt to cross the Sierras in the Winter.
Is architecture academic or do academics just respond to architecture?
If the latter would it matter if the next big thing occupied the positon or would the street scapes of so-cal keep extending to the desert, dryvit, 2.5 car front loaded garages to the horizon?
Jan 5, 06 6:09 pm ·
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Upcoming changes in Cali's archi-culture?
This year at least 3 California arch. schools (UCLA, USC, CCA -- any more?) have searches going on for a new chair or dean, and one museum arch. dept. (SFMOMA) a search for a new curator. How do you all think this bodes for the culture of arch. in Cali? Good, bad, or won't matter...
wm
Slightly off-topic:
Changes at the schools combined with this news item re: the massive ongoing investment in making downtown LA more like a "downtown" makes me very interested in watching and seeing where LA will be in 10-15-20 years.
A good friend moved from a strong east coast urban Philly lifestyle to LA several years ago to do her PhD. She made a comment that has resonated with me - that we need to remember that LA and other sprawl-based cities are still very young. In terms of age they are like teenagers, and the teenager-becoming-adult phase of life is doubtless the most fascinating one of all.
abra is probably right, the replacement of 4 figureheads at california institutions won't matter, all that much, in the short term. But long-term LA and so-cal are going to be an interesting urban event.
LA is facinating. I've never been there but have had to present it as an urban typology back in school when no one wanted it - it turned out to be much more exciting from a planning and circulation exercise. I agree with Liberty Bell - its still very young and not yet reached its final form.
Go on google earth or terraserver and just wander around LA. Its almost as good as hanging out at archinect.
won't matter. i really would find it hard pressed to believe that a few deans and a curator could shake the culture of design in california. it's much bigger than a few schools and a museum. good work is being done and many firms have or are gaining repute.
LA's future over the next few decades will be fascinating to watch as LB mentioned. it seems like there's a critical mass being reached also in terms of transportation. rumor has it that the extension of the red line metro through BHills and to west LA is beginning to pick up steam again...
oh. for a great read on LA, Reyner Banham's ...Four Ecologies can't be beat.
driving down her freeways.....
or City of Quartz by mike davis who is our jane jacobs.
and what's up with that cornfield downtown that was never harvested and looks like it is wiliting
It's Not A Cornfield. And it is art.
http://notacornfield.info/
But I would say that cornfields, deans,h and museum curators have about an equivalent influence on the shape of Architecture in California. Not so much. Most of what's interesting here is done by small practices outside of academia.
ahh...but don't forget that people like Thom Mayne to Neil Denai to Hernan Diaz Alonzo have made their names piggy-back on academia. Exposure keeps the world involved. I would not under estimate the role of those who write, think and create opportunities for others...
how much longer will Moss last at SciArch?
I can't think that this is going to change the archi-culture of such a huge and diverse place that much, but I must admit I'm as curious as you are about what changes it will make to the academic culture here. Right now in LA, as I see it, Sci-ARC is the wild child that's a bit unstable but ever-so-trendy right now, USC is seen as the most solid undergrad but nobody knows about their grad programs (of which they have several), and UCLA is there, but somehow not really talked about (seriously, I never heard them mentioned before I came on archinect) but apparently a good grad program. I'm very curious as to whether UCLA or USC can manage to change their image a little with the regime changes. VERY curious as to who's short-listed. Anybody heard anything about this? Do you think the same people will apply for both jobs and the two institutions will have to have a money throwing fight over the top candidate?
decatur - good point, and there are a number of other names you could mention. its a line of thought I assumed someone would pick up on. practice and academia have been and probably will continue to be quite symbiotically linked in Cali (and in many other places with a strong base in both arenas)...
as for the points made about SoCal's (and much of NorCal's for that matter) exurban nature and the relative youngness of Cali's cities, it also seems true that they will continue to have a bit of 'a mind of their own' for some time -- and the books mentioned by Banham and Davis along with numerous others -- by Moore, Jencks, Sudjic, Mayne et al, Chandler, Pinchon, Gibson, etc. -- do provide a wealth of further speculations...
but can the discussion be brought back to the culture of architecture (building or theory driven) as somewhat independent of urbanism (as it arguably tends to be in the west, aside from miscellaneous New Urban attempts) vis-a-vis the potential of bringing new vision(s) through such institutions as those mentioned?
I think its interesting that with all this going on in Cali that Terrance Riley took the JOB in Miami? Anyone got insight on that one?
An an alum of SCI-Arc (get it right people!) I'd just like to say that on behalf of a mjority of my collegues both faculty and former students we will rejoice when Moss departs...or is lynched by the current student body.
Also, as far as most people are concerned he can take Ming Fung and Chris Genick with him.
Such ineptitude has not been whitnessed since the Donner party decided to attempt to cross the Sierras in the Winter.
Tobasco anyone?
as long as Cali firms still hire University of Cincinnati grads, things should be fine...
Is architecture academic or do academics just respond to architecture?
If the latter would it matter if the next big thing occupied the positon or would the street scapes of so-cal keep extending to the desert, dryvit, 2.5 car front loaded garages to the horizon?
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