Events: AltBuild Is Coming

Explore the future of sustainable design at the tenth annual AltBuild conference next week in Santa Monica. Image courtesy Alt Build.

It has been 10 years since the first Alternative Building Materials & Design Conference. Since then, it has gotten bigger and better, growing to become the largest and most-respected green design and building expo in Southern California. Next week, AltBuild, presented by the City of Santa Monica, returns to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for two days of exhibits—featuring innovative new products and trends, including multiple SoCal debuts—and thought-provoking programming, with speakers and panelist drawn from across industries. 

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AIA|LA and Spark Collaborate on a New Mentorship Opportunity

Ask just about any architect or designer and chances are there was a mentor somewhere along the way—someone to inspire, someone to lean on, someone just to be there. It might have been formal or more ad hoc, but however it worked, the support was critical. Over the years, the AIA|LA has sponsored a variety of formal mentorship programs. There was one that paired college students with noted local architects and designers and another geared toward elementary school students. At the same time, the organization has partnered with other groups to create even more mentorship opportunities for members. 

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Design Awards: FORM Contributor Michael Webb Awarded Honorary AIA|LA

We are proud to congratulate FORM contributor Michael Webb, who was awarded the prestigious mark of Honorary AIA|LA at the 2012 Design Awards held earlier this week in recognition for his illustrious career (Webb has published 26 books!). For a rundown on the rest of the night’s winners, click on the following links to see galleries of the Design Awards, Next LA Awards, and CAC Awards.

Re-Envisioning the Figueroa Corridor

Figueroa Design Proposal (Courtesy of Melendrez)This evening, the AIA Design Committee presents Re-Envisioning the Figueroa Corridor. Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning firm Meléndrez has joined forces with internationally acclaimed urbanists Gehl Architects of Copenhagen and local firm Troller Mayer Associates to realize future plans for the Figueroa Corridor between Downtown Los Angeles and the USC Campus/Exposition Park. Tonight’s presentation will feature the design in its current developmental stage along with an informal forum for discussion.

 Figueroa Design Proposal (Courtesy of Melendrez) The project vision seeks to create multi-modal solutions: a better environment for pedestrians, transit users, and bike riders, while also considering the needs of the automobile. Some of the major design features include- protected bike lanes, pedestrian scale street lighting, street trees and planting areas (to manage and cleanse stormwater), repaired sidewalk paving, transit furniture, and public art.    

Melani Smith of Melendrez and Nat Gale with the City of Los Angeles will present several design alternatives followed by discussion from 6:30 to 8:30 at AIA Los Angeles.

What to do this weekend: The AIA|LA Palisades to Brentwood Spring Home Tours

DeBont Residence (Michael Lehrer, FAIA - LEHRER ARCHITECTS LA, Inc.) Pacific Palisades - Mandeville Canyon The AIA|LA will take residential architecture fans west for round two of the 2012 Spring Home Tours Series this Sunday, May 6th. The event, sponsored by Gruen Associates, will feature designs by Warren W. Wagner, AIA; Barbara Callas, AIA; Michael Lehrer, FAIA; and William Hefner, AIA. The tour will make its way through some of the most pictaresque and architecture-savvy neighborhoods in Los Angeles. The opportunities to see homes like this are rare, so you don't want to miss it.

To purchase tickets, visit http://aialamay6hometour.eventbrite.com/

AIA Members: $65 (excluding applicable registration fees)

Non Members $75 (excluding applicable registration fees)

Cor-ten Cottage (Barbara Callas, AIA - Callas Architects, Inc.)Chautauqua Residence (William Hefner, AIA - William Hefner Architect, Inc.)Palleschi-Hart Residence (Warren W. Wagner, AIA - W3 Architects) Pacific Palisades, CA