Design and Architecture

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Building housing affordably; drag through the ages Oct 15, 2019

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Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 18 bills last week to boost housing production. Does this mean the housing crisis is solved? DnA talks to Angela Brooks and Larry Scarpa about the “elephant in the room” that was left out of the bills, and their NEST 'kit-of-parts' that they believe can build affordable housing faster.

And, RuPaul has brought drag into the mainstream, but it’s hardly a new phenomenon. In his new book "Drag: The Complete Story," Simon Doonan recounts the history of cross-dressing and why it’s booming now.

Cross Colours; Fast fashion’s hidden costs Oct 08, 2019

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Remember Cross Colours? The LA-based urban streetwear line was a hit in the early 90s, with bright, bold designs and uplifting messages about unity. Now the label is back, and the California African American Museum is celebrating with a retrospective that shows its impact on the mainstream fashion industry.

Plus, Forever 21 may not last forever. But the demand for cheap clothing has not gone away. Fashionopolis author Dana Thomas tells DnA about the human and environmental costs of fast fashion, and how we can slow it down.

Coworking after WeWork; Autographs of LA Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

The coworking giant WeWork said it would raise world consciousness and rebuild cities, with help from architect Bjarke Ingels. Now it has pulled its IPO, after firing its CEO last week. Where does that leave WeWork and coworking spaces in general? We hear about LA's booming coworking scene, how spaces are differentiated through design, and we’ll talk to the founder of Epiphany Space, which aims to raise consciousness in a very different way.

And, what do autographs reveal about Los Angeles? Josh Kun’s "The Autograph Book of L.A.: Improvements on the Page of the City” uses the LA Public Library’s extensive autograph collection to explore who gets to leave their mark.

Huntington at 100, Notes on Decor Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens was established 100 years ago. But Henry Huntington’s footprint was far bigger than that. DnA looks at the man who was “probably the most important urban planner L.A. has ever had,” and at 1919, an exhibition about that turbulent year. Plus, Paul Fortune came to LA for sex and drugs and wound up with a glittering design career. He talks about “Notes on Decor, etc.”

Climate activism goes mainstream, from Porsche to porn Sep 10, 2019

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Will an all-electric Porsche drive sports car lovers to embrace clean energy vehicles? Can an adult video site help clean up plastic trash in the oceans? DnA looks at the climate messaging coming from unexpected quarters, even as the White House tries to roll back environmental protections. And we meet the folks with the future in their hands: teenagers. Santa Monica High School climate activists share their thoughts on taking inspiration from Greta Thunberg, on educating adults and the need for a Green New Deal.

Promenade 3.0; Kunlé Adeyemi Sep 03, 2019

Show notes

After it opened in 1989, Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade became one of the most popular shopping and entertainment destinations in the world. But the Internet has changed how we shop, watch movies and order food. So business leaders and designers have launched Promenade 3.0. Will lawn games, public seating and Instagram moments make it a must-visit place once again?

And, coastal cities around the world are facing rising sea levels. What can we learn from Lagos? Hear from Nigerian-born architect Kunlé Adeyemi, designer of an acclaimed floating school.

Music Center Plaza; LA’s new tree czar Aug 27, 2019

Show notes

The Music Center Plaza, opened in 1964 with a design by architect Welton Becket, has been reimagined for pedestrians rather than cars.

“We had to walk a line between preserving as best we could what was here, but making it work better for the changing urban environment that we have here,” said architect Bob Hale.

And Los Angeles has a new city forest officer, starting Tuesday. Rachel Malarich has two big goals: adding 90,000 trees to LA’s streets and private yards, and increasing the tree canopy in the least shady neighborhoods by 50 percent in the next decade.

Fifteen strangers share a house; Bird’s sustainability pitch Aug 20, 2019

Show notes

A large two-story Craftsman house on a residential street in Koreatown has been subdivided into 15 single-occupancy bedrooms and bathrooms, and common living and dining areas. “Cohaus” creates community and adds density without changing the architecture. But at least one neighbor is not happy with this arrangement. We find out why.

And, Bird electric scooters are everywhere. But critics say they’re not as eco-friendly as the company has presented them. Bird’s head of sustainability explains what the company is doing to overcome the impact of building, distributing and powering e-scooters.

Reimagining Museum Row; upending the general contractor industry Aug 13, 2019

Show notes

Museum Row on Wilshire Boulevard is in the midst of some big changes, with major projects at the Petersen, Academy Museum, LACMA, La Brea Tar Pits and Craft Contemporary. Will these schemes be united, and how will they greet the street? And we'll hear about three architectural firms competing to reimagine La Brea Tar Pits.

Plus, working with a general contractor can often be a challenge, whether you're building a house or looking to remodel. The start-up Sweeten wants to disrupt the general contractor industry by matching clients with vetted contractors and monitoring the project through to completion.

Sumptuous swimming pools; AfriCOBRA’s black power art Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Summer in Southern California means swimming pools, and those glittering havens from the heat are celebrated in the new book “Splash: The Art of the Swimming Pool,” a collaboration between photographer Tim Street-Porter and his wife, the designer and writer Annie Kelly.

Plus, we meet two artists from AfriCOBRA, a Chicago-based collective formed in the late 1960s that made art to empower black communities. Their work is part of the blockbuster show “Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963-1983” at The Broad.

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