Advocating for the Built Environment: AIA|LA Commences Mayoral Candidate Forums

Christopher Hawthorne and LA City Councilmember Jan Perry discuss the future of LA's built environment. Image via Blogdowntown.The AIA|LA has launched the Mayoral Candidate Forum series, commencing on February 17 with mayoral candidate and LA City Councilmember Jan Perry. The forum series will be moderated by LA City Planning Commission President Bill Roschen and LA Times Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne.

According to a recent post by Blogdowntown, Councilmember Perry’s initial forum was a collegial affair, with Roschen and Hawthorne agreeing with most Perry’s points—her arguments included support for policies that would drive economic development at the neighborhood level and policies that would require urban design guidelines for LA’s ongoing build-out of public transportation resources.

Will Wright, director of government and public affairs for the AIA|LA, has taken the occasion of the forums to make a broader appeal for the next mayor of Los Angeles to appoint a “Deputy Mayor of Architecture and Urban Design.” Stuart Magruder, AIA, current president of AIA|LA, has also taken to the Internet leading up to the events, making the case for strong leadership from LA’s community of architects and urban designers leading up the 2013 mayoral election in a short YouTube video.

The schedule for the remaining candidates is as follows:

Friday, February 24 (7pm - 9pm) - Mayoral Candidate Austin Beutner
Friday, March 2 (7pm - 9pm) - Mayoral Candidate Kevin James
Friday, March 9 (7pm - 9pm) - Mayoral Candidate Wendy Greuel
Friday, March 16 (7pm - 9pm) - Mayoral Candidate Eric Garcetti