The Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and the Goethe-Institut will be holding a four-day charrette this weekend focused on generating ideas and approaches that could help address the prevalence of homelessness among Los Angeles residents.
According to a press release issued by the school, all of SCI-Arc’s 506 students will be involved with the initiative, which starts Friday and runs through Monday evening. The event will feature contributions from a bevy of local and international experts, including Lorcan O’Herlihy, Frances Anderton, Deborah Weintraub, Mimi Zeiger, and other local politicians, designers, and non-profit directors.
In a statement, SCI-Arc director Hernan Diaz Alonso said, “SCI-Arc is committed to playing an integral role in solving the homeless crisis. We are committed not only because of our proximity to Skid Row but because there is a moral imperative and an architectural challenge. Design must be implemented as a means for social change.”
Following a day-long symposium on Friday, students and interested parties will engage in a weekend-long research and design session that will culminate in a public exhibition on Monday evening. Several of the events will be available via livestream for those who cannot attend.
See below for a full schedule of the charrette.
Friday, January 11, 2019
W.M. Keck Hall Lecture Hall
Welcome and Introduction
1:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
Hernan Diaz Alonso, SCI-Arc Director
Lien Heidenreich-Seleme, Goethe-Institut Director
Mark Ridley-Thomas, LA County Supervisor
Livestream link
Presentation: Framing the Problem
1:20 p.m. – 1:40 p.m.
Jerry Neuman, SCI-Arc trustee
Chris Ko, United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Livestream link
Panel Discussion 1
1:40 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA City Councilmember (Moderator)
Jerry Neuman, SCI-Arc trustee
Jerry Ramirez, County Homelessness Initiative
Christopher Hawthorne, LA City Chief Design Officer
Thomas Newman, United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Livestream link
Panel Discussion 2
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Frances Anderton, KCRW (Moderator)
Deborah Weintraub, Chief Deputy City Engineer of Los Angeles
Carlos Zedillo, Head of Pienza Sostenible
Kevin Hirai, President of Flyaway Homes
Lorcan O’Herlihy, Architect
Livestream link
Closing Remarks
4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Hernan Diaz Alonso, SCI-Arc Director
Livestream link
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Conversations Livestreamed
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Mimi Zeiger, Journalist and Curator
Tanner Blackman, City Planner
Volunteer faculty, alumni and guests Pin-up
2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Keck Hall
SCI-Arc Students + Volunteer Faculty
Livestream link
Monday, January 14
Exhibition
4:00pm–7:00pm
Student work exhibited throughout the school
