Newsletter, January 1987

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SllJimming to Suburbia So m e Th 0 ugh t s o n t he

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New Cily lind How It [lime t o Be Th ill llI a !j .

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'E OilS ;S lor a series of publicallo~s oevotea to Architecture and Urban

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In its first six months of existence. the Forum sponsored two highly successful e an<! discussion series. Materia:

The primary purpose of the Forum is 10 provide a framework in which design professIOnals and members of the public can explore and evaluate the architecture and urban structure of the Los Angeles area. The Forum seeks to promote and coordinate scholarly research, planning studies, artistic activities, and other endeavors which can affect and Improve the builtenvlronmenl We seek to disseminate the results 01 these activities to a larger pubjic and 10 encourage informed evaluations of the physical environment of the city. Through our programs. we hope 10 promote the establishment of an informed community of concerned professionals and members of the general public and to provide that community with a vehicle for dissemination of information to the pubClC at large.

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Membership in the Forum is open to any interested individual. The $35 annual fee entitles members to free admission to Forum events. to receive the bimonthly newsletter. and to purchase other Forum publications at reduced rates Members are encouraged to participate in planning Forum activities. Please

MEMBERSHIP

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Number One

Officers: Christian Hubert, President Aaron Betsky, Vice-President Suzanne Caffey, SecretaryfTreasurer

o read ing groups and research o social events

o lectures and disoussions

FORUM Pub lie at '

Crasg Hodgells Christian Hubert Benjamin Caffey Doug Suisman

o publications o planning and development o fundraising

I am interested in participating in the following activities:

Telephone:

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Newsletter Ed;tor:

partcLy suppon a series of studies and proposa!s on pubbc space, transponabon. blJ'.!d'/lQ types. and street patterns In Los Angeles We hope to obtain funding lor t'lese research projects from Federal and State organizations, to develop them in COIIJUncton with the Forum's eahngs, and to present them to a wider puboo through symposia, exhibits, and publications.

k11988. we II1tend to coordinate and

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Design 111 Los Angeles kl be pubjlshed bHnontll'y The Forum has Incorporated as a noo-pro!it pubUc benefit corporation devoted pnmarily to educallonal purposes. We are see!<Jng to obtam Federal and Slate tax exemptions and to be rlKXlgnrzed as a Public eha rity by the

INTRODUCTION TO THE FORUM

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.II."s streets and auenues are stitched together from a monic of discrete clt!J grids which ere dlscontinuousl!J linked b!J dlslotlltlons, swerulng aKes and polar rotations. These grids open ulstas, freme trlulalltles and reueal anomalies. It Is e system of eltertlltlons end Inconsistencies - of thoughtless breadth end pregmatlc entlclpatlon which has bred, albeit tIIrelessl!J, the culture of cruising. hatchbec:ks and conuenlence corners which eKempllf!J the present ulslon of the future clt!J.

In short, the city grid Is the medium from which all other media emanllte. People do things with It: they plan eHcurslons and funerals, meditations lind trysts, with the abandon of an action pflinter. The city Is perhflps less fin flrtlfflct thfln fI beneuolent fluH In Which to pursue indiuidufll destinies. Yet It seems thflt our flbility to understand find modify urbfln destiny hfls in both theory find practice been hopelessly mired in the trflmped spflce of our most elementflry perceptions. In other words, giuen the uniuerse of energy find Its corollflry mlltter, we fire only able to measure find perceiue the "physicfll" world, and consequently hllue deueloped systems of archltecturlll "order" reillted to the IIblllty of ullrlous urbfln Objects, buildings find so on to reflect light. Becfluse of this flHfltion, the plflnnlng of most cities is still at the toy block stflge, While much of the rest of the world hfls dlscouered electricity.

We generfllly see wfllls lind roofs flS shflping our cities, but there fire those of us who are frustrllted by the limits of construction and its control of mflking find memory, lind there fire others who recognize the inconuenient weight find the permflnence of stone flS fI naturfll way to dominflte the culture as II whole. I would propose thflt our idefl that the stone image confers Stfltus by Its simple eHistence must be re-eHflmined in light of the relfltiue effort required for its refllizfltion.

Imflgine, for fI moment, the ponderous tflsk of coordinfltion In the times when euen bflsic size find

shflpe could only be communicated with difficulty. A world Iflcklng FAH find stah, limited to messengers toting papyrus rolls In bOflts up the Nile, could hflrdly be blamed for the rigid geometry which cflme to signify clulllzation. That geometry was a useful tool. It got things done, enabling legions of people to work on a single product, euen a simple, elemental one: there was fI necessllry symbiosis between the monolithic communications network and the task at hllnd. So It comes as no surprise to find the design for the network Itself carefully Incised Into the rock, In effect memorifllizing the "chain of command" which may hllue been the real inuentlon of such II culture. Thus the definition of power and rllnk came to reflect the rigidity of the medium In which early clulllzlltions worked !ImagIne the consequences of People Magazine in stone), with the resulting geometry Inferring a like status fit some future time.

By the late Middle Ages, the routines lind sub-routines of city building inherited from the Aomllns had become the structure by Which urban life was eualuated.

The medieual city became II familiar IIrtifact, so much so that Giollo's toy-like depiction of formerly monumentfll edifices as tilted, colored, euen charming obJects-at-pIIlY defies their StlltUS, reducing them to the engaging companions to urban life that they had become. Buildings themselues becflme entertaining pleasure object~, as plentiful liS Wlllkmen; they made you feel gOOd, dressed up your life, lind prouided II defined conteHt In which you could relate to others.

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25088 N Wiley Canyon Rd Nwhl . 259 Slocum Donald C 23008 Garzota Dr Vlnu .. 259 Slocum l J 27570 'hViolinCanyonRd taSlaic .257 4' Slocum Robt & Kay 23008AsIlGlenCir Vinca 259 Slocum Ron 2</02180uQuetCanyonRdSau9uS 296 Slonaker Butch & Dena 21558 Piacenta Canyon Rd N... hl. 255 Sloniker Richard 15718 Roseha'en Ln Cnyn Ctry. 252 4' 510zak Richard C 19839 Merryhill CnynCtry.251 Slusher Anthony C 29025 Flowerpark Dr Cnyn Ctry. 2526: Sly Rusty D 15924 Roseha'en Ln Cnyn Ctry .2516 Smail Robt J 27226 B.nuelo Av Saugus . .. 255 Small Bill T 25025 Vermont Or Nwhl .. . .... 259 Small Bill T 25025 Vermont Dr NwIli ...... 259 Small Fred 28367 SandtanyonRd CnynCtry252 Small Ginette 27S230i.neMarieOr Saugul .255 Small Lanry .. .. . . .296 Small Laurence H. .... ... . ... . ..... .. ... 2966 Small Linda J 28322 Connie CI CnynCtry . . . 2512 Small Robl 0 22522festividad Dr Saugus .. 25924:

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Dave & Barbara 28209 E David E 25662 Estoril David L 19951 W Avenue Of David R 27648 Sosan ~ Dean & Sandra .

16518 Fair """ _., .. w_,. _wA . . . . . . itll Dee J 23926 Plaza Gavilan Vinca ... . 259 7896 til Dennis 25068 Walnut Nwhl . . . . . . 255 9227 Derek Lee 23005 Ash Glen Cir Vinca. 254 ]SSG Don F 27069 CrossgladeAv CnynCtry.252 9707 Donald E Jr 20651 KingscreSl Dr Sau9US.296 0612 Donald J 20401 Key Cl Saugus ... . . . 2961213 ;JtII Donald W 25648 Fedala Rd Vinca .. . 255 8985 Ith 1:\-.....

Doug 271\)'1_ Hid ..... y A, Cnyn Ctry 2520550 _ . •_ _ .. ,_ .... _ _ .. , . • _ " , ___ _

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54 3682 26640 Bouquet Canyon Rd Saugus .259 ~l 8467 Smalley E M ;i Philip&salOe- ~ - • .

Ith E 18204 Soleo.dCanyonP1 CnynCtry 2514031 23500 WWiley Canyon Rd Vinca. 255 3 Ith EM 19144A W A'enue OfThe Oa~s N... hl. 251 4169 ~n ~~~i Smalley Richard 27489DohertyAv CnynCtry.2511 Smart Alan . . . . . . . . .

254 . Ith Edw G 24600 farrow Dr Vinca ... ... 255 1248 , 2594612 Smart & Final Iris Co Smith Edwin E 23535 W Via I 2534061 10893 San Fernando RO Pacoima. 8188966 Smith Edwin l 20420 Calha" Ith Elliott 27120Crossglad 252 1459 Smart Joe 18011 River Cir Cnyn Ctry .252 ~;~~:::rg~E~; Ith Elon V 25224 Via Valer 254 1641 Smart Ron l 28127 Lodestar Dr Saugus .296 LC~;3"'3~:::~3'''' Ith F M 23515 Lyons Av VI, 2592250 Smathers G~o 25519 Via Brava Vinca... .25974' Smathers MichaelS Ith Frederick J 2264OGar: ~:I::g~3~;=.6 -, (1) _ ..... _. , 259 4997 15754 Roseha'en Ln Cnyn Ctry. 252 2, Ith Gary 27607 Nugget Dr Ith Gary & Shelly 2518014 Smejkal G 17013 Canvas Cnyn Ctry .251 ~,,;:~ ;::.;~:I Mi' , 5me ser lee F 23931 Via Onda Vinca. .259 18752 Mar O~~-t~~~;~~ 2572824 Smestad Gary E 23650 Real Ct Vinca .. 253 Ith Geo E ~ CI =r c:: 251 1754 Smetana Paul 25502 Via Jardin Vinca .259 20401 SoledaO Canyol ;;;3-C:=o'~~~E Smiley Margaret C Ith Geo F Jr (1) ~ ~ ~ ..... :I _ - ~ :::r 30000 HaSley Canyon Rd Saugus . 257 27Sl .

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CD"'-cpt:;' ~~~ ~~ Sminkey Wm 26335 Long Oak Dr N...hl .. .. 25215 Ith Gerald Dennis C '" 3 :::T = :::T ::l .., '" :::T : "" ~ (1) :I ~ ~ tD _ Smlser Mule Ranch 23990 A,enlda 2594389 24924 NHawkbryn Av Nwhl. 2591 Ith Gllben A 22400 Barba "'=E c ", .Q:::T Co 2530442 Smlsko Jason 25739RanchoAdobeRd vlnca .254 Ith Greg . . ;- (1) ;: CiI ~ :I ~' 8 Smisko Wm T 25739RanchoAdobeRd vlnca .259 76 Ith Gregory - ~ 3 ~ _ Q 0. ~ 0 ~~~ 5h~ Smit John 28701 Indies Ln Cnyn Ctry ... .25173 27351 Walnut Sprong =r (1) :I 0 :I c. '" C» ~ 2555420 Smith Alex 31413 CaSlalc Rd Caslalc .. .2574 Ith Gregory 0 & Marilyn til ;-U:l;:;:'CD~~ .2599 27048 Jar 2559756 Smith Anna l 24378 La Glorola Cor Nwhl cc O-Q.(tIX" ~ 2514613 Smith Bessie K 26339GreenTerraceDr Nwh12511~ ItII Guy 27510N PampliCO u::::: =r ..... .., ~ .

Smith Billy R 23120 Klmmore Ter Vinca .254 6163 ilh H 27644 Susan Belh W) 252 21n Smilh Blake 26219 Ridge Vale Dr Nwhl 251 9~ Smith H E 27118 Crossglade J ~ 251 3759 Smith Brian 25101 ith H l Smith Brian 251OS1 " 18~0 Soleoao Canyol Smith Hal H 25233 Via Tanar: 2524410 Smith Bros Hobby Centers E ~ ~ '" 3 255 0994 23132 W ValenCia BI Vinca . 259 599! Smith Harold H 27948 Ne ... bl '" :::T .., :::T '" '" Smith Bryan & Cindy . Smith Harold L 19225 Wellh1 ~ ~ ; ;: Co 3 :::T ~ .., a .., :::T 455 2044 27544 W Ony, Ln Castaic . 257 all Smith Harry A "'-CJca ~ LC '" ::l N 257 15~2 Smith Bryan & Deanna . Smith Harry & Dorothy CD 0 ~ I'!' C '" a Co ~ 2970001 25506 Meadow Mont Vinca . 254 26010 Core '" Co ::l - 0' '" C ;:) ~ 2595304 Smith Bryan E 27516V101,nCanyonRd Castaic 2570761 Smith Hanry J . . .

3LC 0 '" ID 2530673 Smith c. . .. .. .. . . 296 2701 Smith Henry E 24414 Jennll, ;; ::l = I.e: ;- 3 ;;; ::l 2965465 Smith C 31717 R,Oge Roule Cas laiC .2570421 Smith Henry & Susan .., co ~ Co ~ '0 ~ 2546m Smith C Ed & Betty 24037 Broa ~ o ri ~ E <:::T I.e: '0 I.e: 2593673 27017 Vista Encanl.O. 01 vlnca .255 75ll Smith Holmes J Co .., 2970622 Smith C K 2552440 I 25033 N Wiley C ::: ~ Q. ~ ~ 3 a ~ I'!' ::l Smith C l .. .252 ~ Smith Howard C 19864 Larb, ~ - C :::T ~ ~ 259 3761 Smith Camille L : 5mlth Hugh W 23622 Mesa ( rE~~::c: .., a '" 0 254 2105 21219 WWillow Weed Wy Cnyn Ctry .2557301 5mith Industries Medical 5y ::l CI~=~(D 255 3922 Smith Carl & Pal 25241 W A,enue ~ ~ .Q '" Co c:1.e: 254 0359 16613 Vasquel Canyon Rd Cnyn Clry 296110) 5mith J . ~ ~~~g.~ ::;·3 Co a 255 8353 Smith Carl & Sandy : 5mith J . .

I.e: U:::::Ot-.CD o 0 CD.., 2546197 26948 N Las Manan'las 0' vlnca.255 2591 5mlth J A 26060N Tourelle P ~ '" 0 E ~ & Smith Chas H 23957 Arroyo Park Dr Vinca .254 8712 Smith J B 27916Meadowcre, ~ Q :~ ~ I'!'

510036 Smith Charles R Dr ' IInlth J D 26154 Ralnbo... Gle I.e: c: ~:::T 2598316 25667 Paseo Lauro Ct Vinca . 2595880 Ith J E & J K Jr ..

298 0117 Smith Chas W 22229 Paraguay Dr Saugus 2597488 5mith J l 27548 fallport A, ( 2553192 Smith Christine 2513540 5mith J M . . . . ... . . ..

257 1651 Smith Chuck 33419 Steele A, Saugus 298 777l !tit Jack E 27405 Cherry Creek Dr vinc a . L~~ LjIN 255 6052 Smith Clarence . lmith Jacki & Maria . 2521717 254 3615 27854 Palmelto Rloge 01 Vinca. 259 99n ith Jackson & Lou 298946S 297 0552 Smith Cia), 2519211 ith Jas A & Denise 296 0314 Smith Cliff & Shirley 27720 Cherry Creek Dr Vinca 255 7043

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Los Rngeles Is frustrllting beclluse the wllys In which we hllue studied cities In the PIISt - IInllIyzlng their solids lind uolds, their bumps lind ulllleys - Is no more releullnt todll!J thlln lire the fingers of phrenology which IIttempt to "sclentificlllly" plumb neurologiclIl depths by describing the surfllces of the sleull. This Is beclluse cities hllue become liS QUllsl-electronlc liS the brllins they house. Rny IInlllysis must IIddress this rellllty. Rs Keith Jllrrett hilS remllrleed: "There's electricity In 1111 of usl"

In the chllnt, we lire offered II ulsion of unllnimlty: II single melodic line thicle with uoices of euery timbre, without so much liS II rhythmic defection, reflects the QUlliity of MedleulIl IIgrllrllln society.

In the music of 8eethouen II mllrleed tension Is IIppllrent liS themes lind sub-plots ule for IIttentlon, yet the Whole Is clellrly domlnllted by II single powerfulldell - much, It would seem, "lee the Renlllssllnce city .

Flnlllly , In the worle of Terry Riley , ellch of II series 0 f th reelind four-note phrllses Is pillyed liS often liS ellch member of the ensemble chooses, producing II slowly euolulng field of hllrmonlc euents often chllrllcterlzed liS non-music. In fllCt, liS Is the cllse In II hologrllphlc Imllge, the reilltionship of ellch unit of the piece to the whole Is IIbsolutely typiclIl. [llch moment Is th'e whole lit the slime sCllle, euen , though the, whole Is IIrticulllted In Its pllrts .

Slmllllrly, If Los Rngeles Is reduced to II Noill mllp, It seems 0plIQue lind uninspired when compllred to Its [uropelln cousins . Yet we must remember thitt the funclIonlll shllpe of the new city Is best described by the flUH of Its electronic networle. The city Is mllde up of ullrlegllted, constllntly chlln glng rh yt hm s of b 0 ole ing s, orders, trllnsllctlons lind contllcts too rich In Informlltlon to be sUbjected to holistic IInlllysis. The "sleull" of the modern city cllnnot be cleuerly sliced for dlllgnosis lind cure: It Is lin entity requiring the sophlstlclltlon of II brllin-sclln rllther thlln the mlnlstrlltlons of II trlple-O pen. Los Rngeles Is II hologrllphlc city.

Let me glue lin eHllmple of the Impllclltions of such lin IInlllysls by compllrlng three muslclIl compositions: II Gregorilln chllnt, the [rolclI Symphony, lind composer Terry Riley'S "In 'C'."

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I belleue thllt los Rngeles hilS the QUllllties of the Riley piece.

Here , II grllb-bllg of style, conuenrence lind opportunity surrounds ellch IndluldulIl lllee II microcosm of the whole city , offering short-rllnge choice from tllcley to flllmboYllnt, cllterlng to lifestyles from monlelsh to rllfflsh, crelltlng opportunities euen II chllmplon self-stylist could neuer eHhllusl.

[onsum p tilJe, com pe tltIlJe, lind crenUue, the mythic nuenues of this city, lined with frees of nil species nnd I:lIleldoscoplc homes, hllue II logic born of the IndluldUIII. One mlln's fllntllsy Is IInother's rlllliity In n clnsh of IIduertlsements, decor, wide screens lind IIrchltecturlll brnundo which flicl:ers preposterously ilion g tree-lined IIU enues with nil the glludlness of screen gems.

Or do they1 Isn't this cllpsule recrention of erns long gone, tnl:en ns II whole, n differentinted style unto itself1 Isn't It II distinctly post-modern IUHury to dwell In the midst of shnm relliity where the only consensus Is In dluerslty1 Are Trigger's hoof prints Just nnother hleroglyphlc1 At th e_[ hlnese_Then t er1

Los Angeles is n city committed to Imnges, but nelJer to sources. An nduertlsement shows the bull: of the new Beuerly [enter ns the ch npenu on n dressed-to -I:ill model. A Illter lid shows It in stellmbollt drllg, complete with StIlCI:S. A few miles nWlly n IlIndlocl:ed nineteen-thirties [oca [oln bottling plant renders the stenmboat in stucco. A snucershaped restaurant rotating atop a seuerely modern office slab bills Itself as n crenellated IIntlque. A serious downtown hotel tnl:es "Things to [orne" too seriously, with comic results. A gigantic Man on Horsebacl: lights II cigllrette at the focus of n long aHls while multi-million dollar homes 1001: on.

Who's I:iddlng whom1 Are the inhabitants of this place simply

gullible? Or are they nhle to roUJ merrily through this shipUJreclc of Icons ns though It UJere n Sunday cruise? [uery UJeelcend nbnndoned corner lots In uacnnt corners of cities-UJithln-the-city UJith nnmes lilce [ngle Roclc, Rlhnmbrn nnd Rrcndla are blasted by the glnnt lights nnd motor generntors of mobile furniture shoUJrooms. Without the benefit of so much ns n tent, UJlth NCR's snfely In the truclc, nnd UJhile soft sculpture surrounds them on the crumbling nsphalt, the omnipresent Unlley houseUJlfes solemnly confer UJith their designer counterpnrts. They nre nfrald It UJon't go UJlth their UJall hanging.

The color Is UJrong. The color is money. Surely the creUJ of the Dlscouery could not hnue felt more Incongruous hnd they uncouered a grandfather cloclc rnther thnn n blaclc monolith in thnt pit on the moon.

scenographic

If one auoids freeUJays, UJhich promise reassurance in the form of n gunrnnteed destination, the surface of this planet l.R. is endlessly reUJarding. It is an en cycloped in of min i-g n rde n san r1 b n re I y t h ro It led po UJ e r bon t s. It is lilce stepping off the Rue Montparnasse to eHplore the bnclc nlleys of Pnris. No matter thnt Melrose Auenue is 120 feet UJ.lde, that it seems to carry more traffic than the nutobahn, it is an nlley nonetheless, and the pattern of freeUJays nnd street grids is topologically, emotionally, nnd urbanistically BeauH-Arts. No UJonder Banham loued them.

FreeUJays focus traffic as if they UJere lenses, beaming the cars directly to the neHt interchange,

blitzing the nHls UJlth n megadose of cnr-energy so Intense It ouerUJhelms. Whnt UJould loom as opportunities In the landscape of lesser cities - sites chnrged UJlth n uleUJ, perhaps a prominent bend, a ulsta - here are flung nt the passing tide In n uolley of UJords and images UJhlch ricochet from billboard to billboard, dazzling UJlth a ulsual raclcet as uiolent as a Prohibition shoot-out.

1 Question the fact that nobody "eHplolts" those locntlons. Why do so feUJ buildings address the shifts In aHls UJhlch mnrlc subdiuislons long since anneHed? Rnd then I remember that there nre cars in front and behind. There Is n blonde In that one, the radio Is on, and in the distance a string of cobra-lilce lamps stretches IIlce a uell ouer a parade of billboards.

And the carphone Is In my ear.

In fac t, unless there Is som e particular fiwed asset out there Iilee oil - which must be consumed on the uery spot, euery bl'lcleYllrd Is eWllctly eQulI1 to euery other bllcleyard. And it Is the producer sunning blJ the pool , surrounded by telephones lind bileinl'd cuties of either sew , who mlllees 1111 the dellis .

The mllgnlficent iml'lges of cities designed to emull'lte , lind euen mllgnlfy, the mllnlfold processes of industry I'Ind culture lind crime I'Ind Indulgence I'Ire not unlilee Gl'linsborough's pllintings . They trl'lnQuillze, mystify , lind roml'ln ticize the uitlliity of lin liS of yet uncongel'lled city which could be getting you off.

In this contewt, phlJsiclIl ml'lnlpu Il'Itlon of the gross city fllbric seems superfluous I'It best.

Presumptuous lind potentillily dllmllging, c osmetic IIduentures lilee the Bunleer Hill ewerci s e seem destined to I'Ippellr, Iilee tidied - up office lobbies, whereuer deuelop ers hllue 1'1 stlllee.

It might instelld be more mellningful to IIddress the wily dislo clltions lind distortions of the bllsic city fllbric cl'ln I'Iccommodllte eccentricities Iilee the Blue Whllie or the Brown [ow . Or one might consider how the messl'lgebeeper, phone bl'lnles I'Ind ewpress mllil hllUI! IIlrelldy crellted II clJbernetic city . One might asle how chain stores can be giuen significant roles which ewploit their cumulatiue importance .

Los Angeles has already euolued a unique tewture in Which these elements are the principal determinants . We are I'IlreadlJ

the beneficiaries of 1'1 metll - urban stllte which offers proof - positiue thl'lt scenogrl'lphy lind urbl'ln function lire no longer mutul'IlllJ ewclusiue . This condition suggests thllt uncoupling the diagram from the ewperience ml'ly be the catalyst which ewpllnds our definition of urban form to Include ewplicitly scenographic in ten t : we c II n c re II t e "1'1 goo d shot."

The drellm ellch of us drellm s is the locus of ellch indiuidul'll, heating and cooling whole districts in 1'1 dynamic, sensory, alwllYs interactiue ewperience linleed to the fluid nllture of the city itself. As designers, the I'Irchitectural project which faces us is to disassocillte ourselues from the flwlltion on buildings lind to Instelld loole in the rellruiew mirror. v ..~ '"

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Exhibits: Ell Exhibit of collages by Richard Meier.

Kirsten Kiser Gallery, 964 N. La Brea. Call 213-876-7012 for information.

December 11-January 30. m Two exhibits: "Frank Lloyd Wright and the Johnson Wax Buildings: Creating a Corporate Cathedral", and "Frank Lloyd Wright in Los Angeles: Architecture for the Southwest" . Municipal Arl Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Call 213-485-4581 for information.

January 28 - March 13. m "David Hockney: a Retrospective".

LACMA. February 4 . April 24. ill "The Arch itecture of Frank Gehry" .

MOCA. February 16 - May 19.

I!![ "Charles Demuth".

LACMA. February 25 - April 24. .I!El Exhibit of work by Frank Gehry.

Kirsten Kiser Gallery, 946 N. La Brea. Call 213-876-7012 lor information February - March. m Also of note: Metropolis Bookstore, a new bookstore specializing in arl, architecture. and design, has opened at 634A N. Robertson Blvd. Hours are 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., Mon. - Sat. ; 12:00 p.m. ·6:00 p.m. ,Sun. g} Please contact Natafie Shivers with news or events that should be included In future calenders. (213) 389 6730

RANDOM EVENTS

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with MacArthur Park Project Director AI Nodal. ·Clock Tower" sculptor George Herms, artist Alexis Smith. Lyman Hall. Pomona College Reming Program, Claremont. Call 714-621-8000 ext. 2221 for information.Wednesday, January 27, 4:00 p.m.

Lecture by John Lau tner.

UCLA School of Architecture. Call 213-825-8950 for inlormation.

Thursday. January 28, 8:00 p.m.

Reception In honor of the Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit staged by the Southern Calilornia Chapter 01 the Society of Architectural Historians at the Municipal Art Gallery (see exhbit schedule). Hollyhock House, Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Cost $5.

Friday, January 29, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Lecture by Gunther Behnisch.

UCLA School of Architecture. Call 213-825-8950 for information.

Thursday, February II, 8:00 p.m.

Tour of the Million Dollar Theater and film program: "Reel Love - Romantic Images 01 the Silver Screen", sponsored by the Los Angeles Conservancy. Million Dollar Theater, 307 So. Broadway.

Call 213- 623·2489 for information. Friday, February 12.

Lecture by Dolores Hayden.

UCLA School of Architecture. Call 213-825-8950 for information.

Thursday, February 25. 8:00 p.m.

The USC lecture series will be held Monday evenings in Walt Hall.

Cal/ 213- 743-2723 for information.

!lID "Public Art in Los Angeles: MacArthu r Park",

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THEORY TOWARDS ARCH ITECTURE Themes no less than ' Earth' , "Air", ' Fire', and ' Water' will be the Forum's topics for investigation in a series of events entitled 路Suggestive Spaces" to be held this Spring. The cosmic elements will be transposed into the local vernacular via a range of discussions and tours that will

explore the fundamental structures of Los Angeles. Each event will take place in a space evocative of the topic to be discussed , so please note the change in location from meeting to meeting. Events are free for members, $7.50 for nonmembers.

The SCI-ARC Reading Group will meet biweekly to discuss the application of particular theories and modes of thinking to architecture. Occasional guest speakers will be invited to discuss both their own work and interpretations of the relationship between theory and architecture.

~ "Unveiling the Sky",

a discussion of the function, role, and place of tall buildings in Los Angeles with Richard Keating (Design Partner, S.D.M.), Seo" Johnson (Design Partner, Pereira Associates), Mike Davis (Professor of Urban Geography, UCLA), and Thom Mayne (Partner, Morphosis; Professor,SCI-ARC).

Tower Reception Room , Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spnng SI. Monday, January 25, 7:30 p.m. ~ Tour of Sylmar Aqueduct Allratlon Plant and a discussion (tentatively scheduled) with Bill Morrish, Professor of Architecture at USC, whose investigations of the L.A. water system were published in Issue #16 of Modulus Saturday, March 26, 1:00 p.m. ruI Discussion of the Los Angeles landscape with Pamela Burton, landscape architect with Burton and Spitz April 23, time and place t.b.a. ~ Tour of Union Oil Refinery, Wilmington.

Limited number of places available. Call 389-6730 for information and reservations.

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Meetings wfll be held Monday evenings at 7 p.m. at SCI-ARC. The cost is $20 for Forum members and SCI- ARC faculty and staff. $30 for nonmembers, and $10 for students. Call Ann Bergrin (213-B21-3494) or Aaron Betsky {213-93B-6826j for more information.

Schedule (Tentative) Discussion with Mark Wigley: "Derrlda".

Monday, January lB. Text: "Plato's Pharmakon", by Jacques Derrida.

Monday, February 1.

Text: "Thinking", by Hannah Arendt.

Monday, February 15.

Selected texts by Svetlana Alpers, Donald Preziozl, Norman Bryson.

Monday, February 29.

Text: The Order of Things, by Michel Foucault.

Monday, March 14.

Discussion with Cornel West: "Post-Moderni sm" Monday, March 2B. Selected texts by Anthony Vidler.

Monday, April 11.