Event Preview: A Sneak Peek at Designs from the A+D Museum's Upcoming Gala

Karim Rashid's carry-on. Part of the presentation at the A +D Museum's gala next month. Image courtesy Karim Rashid. Get ready to Celebrate the Journey! The A + D Museum’s annual gala is less than a month away (May 11) and promises to be even bigger and better than ever. Besides a curated silent auction, music by KCRW DJ Raul Campos, food and drink, the evening will feature the presentation and sale of one-of-a-kind carry-ons—inspired by this year’s theme: Celebrate: The Journey. To create the bags, the museum tapped some of the world’s leading designers, artists and architects—including Karim Rashid, Steven Ehrlich, and BMW Designworks USA to name just a few.

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Never Built: Los Angeles Hopes to Inspire Design Ambition

Image courtesy of Never Built: Los AngelesWe at FORM are super excited about the A+D Museum’s upcoming Never Built: Los Angeles exhibit, which is in the middle of a series of fundraising events leading up to its spring 2013 opening. The most recent effort is a Kickstarter campaign running through February 14, 2013, which sets a fundraising goal of $40,000 for the implementation of the exhibit. Luckily for your eyeballs, the Kickstarter page also provides a video that offers the first glimpse of some of the truly ambitious and even outrageous proposals of yesteryear, assembled by the exhibit’s organizers, Sam Lubell and Greg Goldin. FORM spoke with Lubell recently, who explained that the intentions of the exhibit are deliberately political: “the idea is to change the culture—to be more open to ambition and vision.” Lubell continues, “it isn’t just about what could have been; it’s about what still could be.

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A+D Museum Fundraising Event at the Sobieski House

Sobieski House courtesy of Koning EizenbergThe A+D Museum will host a fundraiser on December 1 at the Sobieski House in South Pasadena in support of the museum's upcoming Never Built: Los Angeles exhibit. The fundraiser provides a great chance to spend the twilight hours on the grounds of the Sobieski House, designed by 2012 AIA|LA Gold medal winner Koning Eizenberg Architects. According to the A+D Museum website, the Never Built: Los Ageles exhibit “showcases visionary unbuilt work that challenges our City to think bigger.” The fundraiser will feature a visual presentation of Never Built, a silent auction for original prints, sweets from Little Flower Candy Café, and the aforementioned twilight architecture experience. Tickets cost $50 in advance and $60 at the door. Visit the A+D Museum for more information.

URBAN HIKES: FORGOTTEN LA

North Campus (Photo Courtesy of the Natural History Museum)On Sunday, October 28, the A+D Museum will host a tour of the newly constructed Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s North Campus as part of their Urban Hike series. In addition to furthering a mission to research, document, and protect animals and the natural world, the museum's new addition celebrates the institution's upcoming 100-year anniversary. Mia Lehrer + Associates designed the 3.5-acre gardens, which are scheduled to open to the public in 2013. During the hike, Michelle Sullivan, the firm's project manager and principal, will show hikers how creative design facilitates and translates the museum's philosophy into a tangible, interactive setting.

North Campus (Photo Courtesy of the Natural History Museum)Inside the new campus, which opens next year, visitors will be able to watch birds and butterflies, learn to observe and track species with the museum's scientists, engage in gardening workshops and nature walks with museum educators, and explore around a new civic green space that is a rare oasis within downtown Los Angeles. The scientific hub also located on the North Campus is called the Nature Lab, which is designed to expose the nature living all around us within the city.

North Campus (Photo Courtesy of the Natural History Museum)URBAN HIKES: FORGOTTEN LA is a unique series of tours devoted to the exploration and celebration of sometimes-forgotten parts of Los Angeles. The tours provide a unique and enriching view into neighborhoods such as Little Tokyo, Leimert Park, MacArthur Park, Korea Town, the Downtown Historic Core, Boyle Heights, and many more.

This Sunday's hike begins at 11:00 am and costs $20 for individuals, $10 for members of A+D, and $5 for students. Details will be confirmed after purchase.

Eero Saarinen: A Reputation for Innovation

North Christian Church (Photo Courtesy of ModernCapitalDC)Beginning Friday October 5 and showing until January 3, the A+D Museum of Los Angeles presents "Eero Saarinen: A Reputation for Innovation", a retrospective of the renowned architect's work. The exhibit pays tribute to Saarinen’s brief yet brilliant career, which included numerous corporate, educational, cultural, public, and private buildings--such recognizable icons as the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the TWA terminal at JFK, and Dulles Airport.

Irwin Union Bank (Photo Courtesy of ModernCapitalDC)The volume of his work also includes many lesser-known buildings, such as the Irwin Union Bank, which displays a constrained and practical mastery of Modernism. Eero contnued to diversify his career by exploring product design and innovation. While still in his 30s, he established himself as one of the most creative furniture designers of his generation by breaking technological and aesthetic boundaries with such icons as the tulip chair and the womb chair. 

An opening reception will be held on October 5th from 6:00 to 9:00pm. Admission is $20, $10 for students, and free for A+D members.