oneshotexhibition.org blog

A few days a ago L.A. Times reported that an audit by LA County Audit Official, Wendy Watanabe, and the independent firm who wrote the report, Harvey M. Rose, LLC, on how some L.A. County Supervisors use their power to circumvent their influences into the Planning Department Policies and firing of the Planning director, Bruce McClendon (see link).

Excerpt: “Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky’s planning deputy, Ben Saltsman, and Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s planning deputy, Paul Novak, issued conflicting e-mails to department staffers during the development of a Green Building ordinance that “could be interpreted as violating” rules that prohibit supervisors from issuing directives to employees outside public meetings.”

This should not single out the County Supervisor indiscretions but with all local and federal governments who abused their positions to gain their agendas being co-opted by corporations and developers, especially when the Supreme Court ruled that corporations could spend unlimited amount a money for candidates who running for office, which is wrong. Who knows where the money is coming from and how it is influenced their authority to other government agencies. Good government should start with transparency with the public and media, involvement with local leaders and neighborhood councils that are affected in their area and not serve themselves for the benefit of their careers.

A good example of the misuse of government authority is the LA City Planning and Land Use Department or PLUM on determining and allowing certain amount of development that adds an adverse effect to the neighborhood surrounding area. Most of the contention is elevated by developers wanting to change the zoning area that supports their pet project without public opposition, environmental impact and design reviews. Without any of these criteria to challenge any type of development, we’ll be insured that the future doesn’t look bright and less prosperous.

It could only be serve to notice that the general public are not only mad but angry about their representatives who are enriching themselves and play a diabolical act to deceived the public and their constituents, rather than their financial supporters and cronies, that is why there are tea party and grass roots organizations who are fed up with their government’s power plays. The only hope is when laws are change and are enforced for the public’s well being and that all decisions in urban policies will be concentrated in respect to their neighbors and to the city. Most of the projects are not interconnected within the city parameters and not socially connected with the diverse culture we live in, therefore there is should be accountability for all government who represents the republic.

Song of the Blog: Senses Working Overtime by XTC in the album English Settlement

While much of the US economy is trying to survive from the downfall of the real estate market, there is one project that is still going and building with less fanfare but has most of the tourist gawking about is the City Center on the Vegas Strip. It is a City Center (aren’t all hotel casinos a city within itself) along Las Vegas Blvd, near E. Harmon Ave. intersection, with its own zip code that cost 11 billion dollars, consisting designs by world re-known architects: Daniel Libeskind, Ceasar Pelli, Helmut Jahn, Rafael Viñoly, Norman Foster and David Rockwell, having it bill as a world-class city development focusing on art and architecture with an emphasis on sustainable design, being develop by MGM Mirage Company at the cost of 11 billion dollars. It shows what kind of diversity in architecture can bring to Las Vegas at a price.

It was an opportunity to hang out with some friends in last month’s March Madness in New York, New York Hotel and Casino to check out the center. During the day, I could overhear crowds of revelers and tourist commenting the look of the center. A couple with a heavy southern accent commented that they didn’t know what to think about the look of the complex, especially at the Daniel Libeskind design, “it didn’t look pretty, but I think it’s ugly.” In some of the theoretical world of architecture, it is a compliment and reveling in it. It’s weird. Las Vegas, in a whole, is a town that is perceived of being of not knowing what to think.  With all the kitsch, urban sprawl, traffic, lack of water resource and the fact it is in the middle of the dessert. It seems that people like myself escape to an area made out of nothing for something other than the truth and the reality of a sustainable city.

Back to City Center, late in the evening at 4:00 in the morning, I got the chance to really check the center up close while walking to the Sahara Hotel to get to the hotel room. While there were less people on the strip, I found there were no security at the gate and had the possibility of walking inside the complex with no problem. It seems that there resources are running thin, construction is moving in a snail pace and MGM Mirage are trying to get more financial backing to finish the project, the possibility of selling off some of their casino resorts to avoid bankruptcy.

What the problem is with this lifestyle center is the cost and livability in comparison to the rest of the City of Las Vegas; a unit of one can cost up to 23 million dollars. More people are losing their homes in break neck speed. The role of well known architects has been co-opted in designing over the top designs that become a selling point for the exclusive and not for all classes. While mainstream Las Vegas has become a bastion of the absurbity, we could always come to the originator of gaudiness and kitsch is Liberace.

View of City Center w/ Daniel Lebeskind designed building in the foreground (tilting walls).

A closer look @ City Center

The front entrance to City Center

The Dessert night brings comfort, where no secure place has no purpose nor reason that pierces  the conscious mind.

Exposed beyond the surface of doubt.

                                       The true originator of Las Vegas: Liberace

Song of the Blog: Holiday in the Sun by the Sex Pistols in the album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here are the Sex Pistols

Recently, there was a competition in regards to the recent voters approval for having mass transit in Los Angeles County, Measure R and Proposition 1A. Sponsor by Sci-Arc and the Architect’s Newspaper, this competition expressed an opportunity to come up with ideals and designs that will take advantage for government’s interest in improving public transit and life, even President Barack Obama is giving billions of dollars for creating a better infrastructure.

The winner of this competition was the group firm Radical Craft led by LA based Joshua G. Stein which proposed a high speed rail that loops around the LA basin at speeds of 100-150 miles per hour (MPH), with a urban corridor development along Sepulveda Blvd. in Sherman Oaks. While the winners were praised for their radical ideas in this format, what really lies is the lack of practicality, shows no certain nuance of the community and does not fix the immediate problems that exist today. It is more conceptual and abstract approach in which the analysis are convincing and insightful, but the end product brings more questions than probable solutions. What should have been an opportunity of a lifetime to bring a cohesive proposal to the public becomes a lost cause for 15 minutes of fame and disclosure. It’s hard to imagine to come up with one clear view where the issues are broad and  diverse that can bring a sigh of hope for a particular community and the rest of the area.

  Transit oriented development winning proposal from Radical Craft along the Sepulveda Blvd in the Sherman Oaks area. (from LA Curbed)

      Site development map along the Sepulveda Corridor of Sherman Oaks in phases. It would eliminate mostly medium-rise apartment complexes and single family residences with civic and commercial development. What about Mix-use development? (from LA Curbed)

                                    Can anybody say Monorail? (from LA Curbed)

This idea reminds of a Simpson’s episode of bringing a monorail into the town of Springfield, rather than improving mainstreet in downtown. Another scenario can be seen in a much smaller scale is Disneyland.

Song of the Blog: What Difference Does it Make? by the Smiths on their Debut Album The Smiths.

Architecture has evolve through history which theories and ideologies moves in a moment of time through technology, history, power, religion and shelter that serves a binding force for different eras of humanity. Some of the best works of Architecture uses metaphors, to convey the feeling and the idea in the art of architecture, which as compelling as the work itself. At times it can be convey relatively and takes a life of its own.

Metaphors like the Bird’s Nest (Bejing National Stadium) by Herzog & de Meuron has a connotative meaning to the Stadium as looking more like bird’s nest. Whether it is negative or positive, it is subjective unless the meaning is lost and disjointed.

One of the most successful in creating metaphors that are representative to the work is taking objects or subject manner found that are elementally recognizable and reinterpreted into a animated object, whether it is art, architecture, sculpture, and film.

Case in point, project that are intrinsically creative and shows the quality of its craft but the words are hard to describe the concept or idea to the viewing public. Frank Gehry designed IAC/InterActiveCorp Headquarters building in New York derives from a image of sails. It is apparent in its translation that it looks like the sails of the sailboat on the surface form of the building, soaring against the New York skyline.

                        IAC/InterActiveCorp Headquarters by Frank Gehry of Gehry Partners LLP

 Song of the Blog: Sea Legs by The Shins on the CD Wincing The Night Away

One of things in moving away from car culture that lasted for more than 50 years is to develop areas that are pedestrian friendly near transportation stops, meaning transportation oriented development (TOD); Make places more inviting and pleasing of the senses by integrating mixed use, open space and connectivity to the neighborhood.

One sort of banal and mundane approach of the typical urban sprawl that hasn’t brought any revitalization nor a paradigm shift of urban renewal into a community is the proposed commercial development at the corner of Woodman Avenue and Oxnard Street in Van Nuys (it’s really called Valley Glen for real estate purposes and local governing councils). It’s right in the center of a transportation stop for the gold line and is a perfect opportunity to have a new type of development in that corner with some good design acumen. This type of development is the same approach that disenfranchises communities than to more forward into a sustainable society.

This development could exacerbate the mindless cost to extend the practice of more parking lots and boxy buildings for the area that doesn’t tell about the people, area and locale of its richness and diversity. When will there be some kind of civic approach towards urban design that has the capacity to embrace the neighborhood and capitalize urban growth.

It is time to rethink this type of development and design, to bring down the hideous mini-mall that’s going to be obsolete.

The site on the corner of  Woodman and Oxnard where the mini-mall is being develop.

  The proposed development of vacant lot. A typical approach to Urban Sprawl near the TOD site on the Orange Line.

Close up of the building. Check out one of the name of the businesses (Modern Design). Far away from the truth.

Song of the Blog: the pre-released song Georgia by Eagle and Talon on the up-coming CD THRACIAN

The clay plastering workshop a few weeks ago came with surprises and accomplishment. Only a few people (probably eight) attended the workshop and about nine people cancel the last minute, but all in all it was a success.

Previously, the first workshop was about the raising the bale at the Chartwell School Campus and this time was about applying the first layer (scratch coat) over the straw, deer netting and coconut webbing (around the doors & windows per approved plans). It’s probably the most important part of the process because if the mix of the water and the clay contents are not right, than the clay will start to crack and won’t adhere to the surface. Having the leaders of the clay plastering workshop, CJ Cavet & Kathy Gregor, gave a full presentation of clay plastering all around the world and examples of different techniques of clay plastering.

For the whole day Saturday, the group was able to finish the whole exterior portion of the building and Sunday morning, finished the interior. It was amazing when you has a group of dedicated people working together for this project.

Hopefully, next time, there will be documentation on the finish plastering. In the meantime, check the workshop photos:

Slip coat is added on the straw bale and a rough mix of clay & straw to patch up the holes, gouges and inconsistencies of the straw bale.

Rear view

Deer netting is added instead of metal lath for the scratch coat to be applied and building paper is covering the box plate under the eaves.

Enjoying playing with mud clay.

Scratch coat applied to the straw. A mix of fine cut straw, clay & mortar clay.

Finishing the exterior side with the scratch coat.

Another side of the scratch coat.

Now it’s time to do the interior. Note: deer netting and coconut webbing attached to the staw bale.

Applying the scratch coat to the interior.

Finishing up the interior.

Truth window; a box framed picture window to show the layer underneath the finished plastering.

Song of the Blog: Midnight in A Perfect World by DJ Shadow on the CD record Endtroducing

The new California Academy of Science Museum at the Golden State Park in San Francisco by the famous architect Renzo Piano of Italy is a crowning achievement towards building a sustainable world. the reason for that acclaim is because the building is design to replace the old science building damaged by the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, but kept remnants of the old building. It is an ecological building the houses the natural history of the world and is a step towards designing and living green in mind.

An In-Depth article about the Science Museum by Metropolis Magazine shows the process of the academy members choosing Renzo for the design, the engineering of the building and the ideals of the living roof. It is one of the most detailed marks of green architecture for some time and the first in this century. It shows the possibility of designing green architecture with aesthetic value and progressive approach.

The best in seeing the whole view of the building is from the tower of the De Young Museum, across from the central garden from the Cal Academy of Science. While you could see the living roof atop with the bulging mounds and the solar panels wrapping around the rectangular shape building, The building seems to frame the backdrop of the city and the view of Twin Peaks Park. It almost blends itself with rest of the natural elements in the area.

The California Academy of Science Museum building is great forword step into the 21st century in building green architecture technology. The hope is for today’s architects and designers will take this to heart and come up with new innovative ideals and designs to sustain the future to enjoy the environment as it intended to be respected and harness.

View of the California Academy of Science Museum @ the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from atop of the De Young Museum.

  View of the Living Roof on the California Academy of Science Museum (photo by Tim Griffith on Metropolis Magazine)

View of the Solar Cells on the edge of existing facade of the building.

Song of the Blog: Calling All Angels by Jane Sibery w/ K.D. Lang on the Movie Soundtrack Until the End of the World

One of the most blatant act of police brutality was done by a rookie New York City Cop Patrick Pogan who attacked a cyclist in one of the Critical Mass event which bicycle activists ride the streets of NYC to promote a better share of riding bicycles in the city landscape and for the public awareness of being socially conscious & environmentally responsible. The cyclist, Christopher Long, who is a Army veteran, was not seriously hurt but left an imprint on other cyclist on the status of being proactive in promoting sustainable living and responsibility.

The whole event was not permit, given the fact the bureaucracy of government officials would circumvent the critical organizers attempt to get a legal gathering or event to promote an alternative mode of transportation with safety concerns. It is important to note that more and more people are finding ways to decrease the amount of driving the automobile because the high price of gasoline and the driving experiences between cars and bicycles.

The most disturbing thing about the incident is the comments made in You-tube and other blog posts are asinine comments by ignorants who think that it was OK to beat up cyclist with no provocations. Be the judge of that. Also check out the New York Times report regarding this incident by the conflicting accounts from the officer account and what is actually happen by videotaping it.

Song of the Blog: Screw The Law by Black Flag on the Album The Process of Weeding Out.

Straw bale construction is probably the most underestimated material to use in the building industry with all the metallic surfaces, wood-framing and processed materials used in today’s contemporary architecture that increases the carbon footprint. It has not been utilize in ways to explore space and tactility in bigger projects, mostly in mix-use and commercial projects, especially in Los Angeles. There is a lot of potential in which it gives an aesthetic quality and a human tone, similar to the missions of California and the adobe dwellings of the Native Americans in the Southwest, an innate quality that is indigenous to the world.

CASBA (California Straw Bale Association) put out workshops on bale raising and clay plastering seminar. Recently, there was a bale-raising seminar for a charter school in a former military base Fort Ord near Monterrey called the Chartwell School. It is a 16′x22′ typical A-Frame building, separated from the main campus (which is the first LEED Platinum rating for a school), amongst the forest of the Oaks.

Lead by Greg McMillan of Flying M Construction for the Bale raising seminar, it gave most of the participants helpful information on the reason of using straw bales as a alternative material for designing and construction, and the future lies for it. Not a lot went to the preparation because there were some delays, but most of participants enjoy the company and work really hard in raising the bale by the end of the 2 1/2-Day seminar. One was to tie nylon straps on the 4 corners of the building, using a haystack needle to stitch it from separation and movement. All in all, it was fun and informative about building straw bale.

The Chartwell School in Fort Ord, near Monterrey (main campus).

  Site of the Straw Bale workshop, near the main campus of Chartwell School. Note: foundation is already set up with the pressure treated sill plate and the nylon straps attached to it from both sides of the exterior and interior.

Gravel filled between the sill plate prior to raising the straw bale.

Borax is poured on top the gravel to prevent bugs, insects & mold.

Ready to lay the first coarse of the square bales.

  Box framed windows being installed to the straw bale.

Building up with straw bale.

Finishing with the top coarse of the straw bale, ready to put the wood frame box plate for the roof truss installation.

Putting up the box frame plate on top of straw bale.

Plate is nail to the straw bale.

Nylon straps anchor at each corner across to adjust to the building being square (or close to it) by tightening the straps.

  Next time, plastering workshop.

Song of the Blog: Distance Equals Rate Times Time by the Pixies on the Album Trompe Le Monde

The biggest debate in the general shift of neighborhoods that has pitted neighbor against neighbor is older neighborhoods that are dominated by the middle class or lower middle class being inundated by development to increase value in its area, changing the look for the better and allowing young professionals to move in, causing a dissension on what it should be presented as. Some people call it white flight, others call it gentrification, but the truth is that it has created a bastion of the old guard neighbors fighting against the affluent who want to improve the neighborhood.

The word Gentrification is defined by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary : the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle-class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents.

Some may quote that it will eliminate crime in the area, which bodes well, but in the meantime it will displace and discourage the lower income people to afford living in the area close to work, unless they make enough capital to live there, which means working 2 jobs and allowing more tenants move in dilapidated units or houses that becomes a hazard for public safety. It would not only cause a class struggle but also race struggle, immigrants trying to resort their means of survival and live the American dream.

One example gentrification running amok is the article in the LA times regarding the Echo Park/ Elysian Park area. It is one hotly debated area besides Santa Monica and parts of the Westside and serves to notice that the community is still redefining itself, urbanistically. It is a more complex matter which geographically and creatively, how are new development, businesses and people could basically turn a page of a culture that is diverse in nature and is dealing with increase population and traffic with no center or point of interest.

Another one is the prospect of East LA and Boyle Heights is in verge of urban renewal. Boyle Heights has a different approach in which much of the new businesses and development are home-based, meaning there is no outside sources influencing the landscape of the neighborhood and the racial make-up is largely Hispanic, there is no such movement in white flight. If there was, hell would break loose.

Much of the shifting urban landscape is how to balance the area for affordable housing, urban renewal, culture identity and sustaining itself from shifting away from its historiography and spatial identity. More and more, designers, planners and architects are needed to know about the area’s certain nuances and characters in order to come up with theories, ideas and proposals that embraces the community rather than to facilitate the masses.

Muffler Shop in East LA

Song of the Blog: People as Places as People by Modest Mouse on the CD We Were Dead Before the Ship Ever Sank