EVENT: California Design Biennial: Action/Reaction - July 18-November 1

Ellen Keith and Indhira Rojas, Where Does It Go?The Pasadena Museum of California Art (PMCA) is proud to present the fourth California Design Biennial: Action/Reaction, an exhibition that highlights the most significant and innovative designs being created in California. Great works of art are often inspired by challenges and adversity; this exhibition will focus on how California’s established and emerging designers are responding to current economic, political and environmental challenges. In a departure from past California Design Biennials, this exhibition will not feature a juried competition but will instead have a separate curator for each design category: industrial design, fashion, graphic, transportation and architecture. This is the first year that architecture is being included as a category.

Organized and presented by the PMCA since 2003, the California Design Biennial showcases new directions in design, as well as exploring how design impacts and inspires our culture. While the exhibition focuses on work created in the past two years, it builds upon the unique history of California design for the past 100 years.

Head of the Class

Los Angeles Trade Technical College graduates with honors

Image: Benny Chan/Fotoworks

Designed by MDA Johnson Favaro Architecture, South Campus is the first project to be completed within the the Los Angeles Trade Technical College's campus master plan. The reestablishment of the 80-year-old urban college is a result of the Los Angeles Community College District's voter approved bond funding in 2001. Located on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, South Campus consists of two 5-story buildings totaling over 120,000 SF and nearly $80 million in construction costs.

As one of several higher education projects by the firm, Johnson Favaro's approach is a fundamental component of LACCD's transformation. Principal Steve Johnson states, "Buildings of simple form but enduring substance are the norm and have served well for a long time to impart purpose and dignity to the endeavor of higher education. Community colleges, long neglected and for too long often seen as "13th grade," deserve the same quality environment that we experience at a 4-year college. It is arrogant to assume we can best the tradition with our experiments. It is a challenge to simply do as well."

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Going for Gold

Rio de Janeiro aims for first place in sustainable urban development

After executing the United Nation's Earth Summit in 1992, Rio de Janeiro will once again aspire to set precedence in 2016, by hosting the first zero-carbon footprint Olympic Games. Solar City Tower is the first project to be considered as contender for the official architectural structure of the Olympic Games, due to begin construction this year. Swiss architect Rafael Schmidt of RAFAA chose to reconsider the classic concept of a landmark form and instead, he designed a solution for the imminent post-oil era.

Located on Cotunduba Island, the structure will stand 105 meters tall. Solar-powered engines will pump seawater into the top of the tower during the day, then release the water and spin turbines to generate hydro-electricity at night. Plans are intended for the city and Olympic village to utilize the produced energy. Solar City Tower will be accessible to the public through a plaza located at 60 meters above sea level, featuring an amphitheater and its main entrance on the ground floor. Several on-site visitor attractions will showcase the iconic view, including bungee jumping and a glass sky walk.  

A Return on Design

New website dedicated to architecture’s role in achieving business goals

In response to the increasing demands placed on architects and designers and their function in today’s market, BLT Architects has launched aReturnOnDesign.com. The firm developed the website with the theory that every dollar spent on architectural design should ultimately lead to measurable success. aReturnOnDesign.com serves as a platform for all who are interested in the conversation of how architecture and design can and should contribute to the effectiveness of a project, the value of the society in which it is found, the benefit of the stakeholders, and the evolution of the global design community. The website features interactive discussion pages including Rate the Return, Return on Design Hall of Fame, and Return on Design Architect Matcher.

EVENT: Architecture + Design Museum Hosts CELEBRATE 2010

Grand opening exhibit and inaugural fundraising event

On April 27^th over 900 patrons were present to commemorate the opening of A+D’s permanent home on Los Angeles’ Museum Row at 6032 Wilshire Blvd. On hand were the 20/20 Foundation Group, a select assembly of 20 accomplished architects and 20 distinguished designers in LA who are a pivotal force in moving the museum forward in its development as a premier cultural institution. The $200,000 build out of the former furniture store was aided by several of the city’s finest contractors and suppliers who donated pro bono their expertise and services. A+D now has a 3,500 square foot main gallery, a 500 square foot gallery, along with offices and support space. Museum hours are Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat and Sun 11am-5pm. Memberships are available for Individual ($50), Family ($75) and Student ($25).