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

5 Days Left to Register for AIA|LA Annual Restaurant Design Awards

About the Restaurant Design Awards:

The AIA|LA’s Restaurant Design Awards (RDA) honor excellence in restaurant design. The competition is open to all individuals and practices with both restaurant owners and architects/designers invited to submit. Either the project itself must be located in the United States or the submitting individual/firm must be US-based. Submissions are accepted in three main categories: restaurants, cafés/bars and lounges/nightclubs. The annual RDA Ceremony recognizes both Jury Award Winners as well as People’s Choice Award Winners, as selected by votes collected from the general public on the AIA|LA website.

Registration forms must be received by 4:00 PM on Monday, April 4, 2011.

For more information visit the AIA|LA Restaurant Design Awards website.

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FORM EVENT: February 3 - Jan/Feb's Inspiration, Panelists Yazdani, Ball, O'Herlihy, Chu - RSVP

Click image to download PDFClick here to fill out the RSVP form

Join FORM February 3 as we celebrate January/February's Inspiration issue and the AIA/LA Design Awards supplement at Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design . The event will feature a panel discussion on inspiration with AIA/LA Design Award winners Mehrdad Yazdani, Benjamin Ball, Lorcan O'Herlihy, and Annie Chu. Moderator will be Michael Webb, architect, architecture/design writer, and FORM contributor.

Date:  2/3/11 - Thursday     Time:  6:30-9 PM
1901 Avenue of the Stars, Ste 175, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Self-parking available at Westfield Century City Shopping Mall
(3 hrs-no charge)

Please forward on to colleagues!  The FORM Team

Thom Mayne Video Interviews Trailer - Inspiration - FORM

Morphosis founder, Thom Mayne, discusses keeping his edge with FORM publisher/architect Ann Gray. Read the interview in FORM magazine's Jan/Feb 2011 inspiration issue. Experience the full interview and visit Mayne's Morphosis art gallery at FORMmag.net

Here's a trailer for both pieces.
Please share with colleagues and friends from this post OR use the YouTube version.
A production of FORM Video Services

For more on inspiration, RSVP to the February 3 issue event panel with architects Michael Webb, Mehrdad Yazdani, Benjamin Ball, Lorcan O'Herlihy, and Annie Chu.

FORM VIDEO INTERVIEW: Thom Mayne on Inspiration

For more on inspiration, RSVP to the February 3 issue event panel with architects Michael Webb, Mehrdad Yazdani, Benjamin Ball, Lorcan O'Herlihy, and Annie Chu.

Please share with colleagues and friends from this post.

A production of FORM Video Services