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USC Architecture Dean Brings Worldwide Wisdom To L.A.

Posted by: Josh Stephens
Thanks to: Josh Stephens
3 May 2007 - 7:00am

In the 20th century, the United States embraced expatriate modernists feeling the rubble of Europe. Today's eclectic style hails from around the world, and, increasingly, talent from Asia is creating bold new ideas in the post-postmodern era.

"Buildings are more ambitious than they are in the other parts of the United States. Works of L.A. architects whom we know, such as Tom Mayne, Frank Gehry, Eric Moss, Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, and many others who represent that renewed ambition that architecture, can transform city and society. More importantly, the young architects, whom I am trying hard to get to know, are even more diversified and decentralized for various agendas."

"We are excited that concerns of the quality of community and urban fabric are on the mayor’s agenda. We are on the look out for all kinds of channels that we can use to exchange that energy and enthusiasm from the mayor’s office and our school. I am speaking with Gail Goldberg and her team, trying to contribute intelligence and information. Simply put, I want to tell you and your readers, please use us. We are here. If a school doesn’t participate in this exciting agenda for the city, I think it is a great mutual loss."

Full Story: From China to L.A.: Global Talent to Lead USC School of Architecture
Source: The Planning Report, April 24, 2007
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Architects Transforming Society

Submitted by Charles Siegel on Thu, 05/03/2007 - 10:50.

"Works of L.A. architects whom we know, such as Tom Mayne, Frank Gehry, Eric Moss, Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan, and many others who represent that renewed ambition that architecture, can transform city and society."

If these architects transform our society, I suppose that people will become as cold and impersonal as a typical building by Thom Mayne and as distorted and convoluted as a typical building by Frank Gehry.

Or maybe people won't evolve to adapt to this architecture, and they will be in a constant state of vertigo - as Noam Chomsky was when he was moved into an office in Gehry's Stata Center.

I note that the new dean also says he likes LA because:
"Mobility is so potent in L.A. It seems to me that the whole population is on a permanent flow.".
Those LA freeways were built by modernist planners intent on "transforming society" - and they transformed it for the worse.

Charles Siegel

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