DnA On The Road: “Making LA”, DIEM; Guerilla Architecture at the MAK Center

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Making LA (Friday, November 7)

The urban form of Los Angeles has long fascinated artists and architects, social critics and planners.

Often the very people who love it, or at least are intrigued by it, also want to improve it (I love you, you’re beautiful, now change!).

Among those is deLaB, aka Design East of La Brea, the nonprofit helmed by Alissa Walker (in middle of photo above, with child), Haily Zaki, Marissa Gluck and Erin Cullerton that has been opening eyes on the creative places and personalities on the (mostly) East side of LA through their series of cheery tours, talks and exhibits.

Now, armed with a grant from the NEA, they are hosting a conference, Making LA, that will take place all day on November 7 at the gorgeous Los Angeles River Center & Gardens in Cypress Park. Moby, landscape architect Mia Lehrer, Compton Mayor Aja Brown and many others “will share best practices and investigate new ways to make. . . burgeoning civic, architectural or design projects a reality.”

DnA’s Frances Anderton, a member of deLaB’s advisory board, will be there, talking with WeTap‘s Evelyn Wendel about why civic life and health could benefit from restoring public drinking fountains to parks and schools.

Click here for conference tickets.

NOTE: DeLaB is not the only organization trying to change LA. For more examples of how LA is being remade, and opportunities for you to be part of the process, click here.

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DIEM (Friday, November 14)

Meanwhile the West Hollywood Design District is taking some time out on November 14 for an unapologetic celebration of its creative community, with DIEM, a day of talks and parties spread through the showrooms of the designing city.

Mallery Roberts Morgan curated the day, with an assist from DnA’s Frances Anderton (Frances, left of picture above, and Mallery, right, talk at last year’s DIEM).

Topics under consideration include “rethinking retail,” whether designers should become brands and the current trend for social entrepreneurship. Is it very good? Or too good to be true?

Guests include AD’s Mayer Rus, Commune’s Roman Alonso and Frozen art director Michael Giaimo; Frances and Mike will discuss his experiences as a designer on the movie that keeps on giving, as well as his application of narrative design to his personal space, a restored house by Edward H. Fickett. 

The day is free and open to the public but space is limited so sign up here.

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Guerilla Architecture at the MAK Center (Saturday, October 25)

The location is close to home but the topic is further afield: the devastating March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The MAK Center’s latest exhibition Groundswell: Guerilla Architecture In Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake displays humane buildings and planning created by concerned architects in contrast to the response of Japan’s “slow and inept government.”

This Saturday, October 25, DnA’s Frances Anderton will join Hitoshi Abe, Manabu Chiba, Senhiko Nakata, and Osamu Tsukhashi and others for a series of panel discussions.

You can see works by artist Hiroyasu Yamauchi, and architects Hitoshi Abe, Manabu Chiba, Momoyo Kaijima and Yoshiharu Tsukamoto (of Atelier Bow-Wow), Senhiko Nakata, Osamu Tsukhashi, and Riken YamamotoClick here for more information.