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Los Angeles Times
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The man behind LACMA's Japanese Pavilion inspired renegade West Coast architects. Here's how
The one and only pre-millennium building that LACMA director Michael Govan elected to save as part of his campus revamp was the museum's Japanese Pavilion, designed by the brilliant, undeniably quirky architect Bruce Goff. The edifice is like nothing else near it, or in all of L.A.: a series of rough stone towers and fiberglass shoji screen-covered vessels arranged around a grand internal space, connected by a spiraling ramp and filled with hovering, petal-like overlooks. All are supported by steel cables and tusk-like beams, referencing everything from Japanese armor to the mastodons in the adjacent La Brea Tar Pits. While mostly unknown to the general public, Goff, who died in 1982, was celebrated in the architecture world for his vision, talent and utterly unique voice. His lasting influence — particularly as an educator — has been on display in 'Do Not Try to Remember: The American School of Architecture in the Bay Area,' an exhibit at the American Institute of Architects San Francisco's Center for Architecture + Design ending Friday, with a closing reception to take place Aug. 14. 'What makes Goff so fascinating and relevant is his fearless attitude toward ingenuity and his ambivalence toward highbrow aesthetics and taste,' says Marco Piscitelli, curator of the exhibit. 'Much of what he was doing was downright shocking to a mainstream audience.' A precocious draftsman, Goff began working at a Tulsa, Okla., architecture firm at age 12 and by 22 had designed what is still one of Tulsa's great monuments: the bursting-with-wild-detail Boston Avenue United Methodist Church. Honing his technical skills with the Navy's Seabees during World War II, he would create otherworldly buildings across the Midwest. Among them: Shin'en Kan, the Bartlesville, Okla., home of oil heir Joe Price, clad in Kentucky coal and highlighted with 'starburst' glass tube windows; the onion-shaped, red steel tube-affixed Ford House in Aurora, Ill.; and the Bavinger House in Norman, Okla., a spiraling mound of sandstone anchored around a central mast and employing, among many other materials, oil field drill stems, recycled glass cullet and steel aircraft struts. In part thanks to a recommendation by Frank Lloyd Wright, his long-distance mentor of sorts, Goff served as the chair of the school of architecture at the University of Oklahoma from 1943 to 1955. While there, Goff would instill a radical spirit of freedom, self-expression and reverence for natural and cultural context that broke profoundly with the day's conventional education. Dominated by Modernists like Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, that convention focused on industrial materials, clean lines and a singular approach. 'There is still mythology around what Goff was able to achieve: This school in the middle of the country becomes this hotbed, sort of overnight, of this revolutionary, bizarre, shocking work,' notes Piscitelli. Goff's leadership of what would eventually become known as the American School — a term Donald MacDonald, one of Goff's OU students, coined — helped spawn some of the most radical architecture that our country has ever seen. Creative students came to OU from around the world. While many stayed, a major contingent wound up migrating to California, a more free-thinking place with the forgiving climate, dramatic landscapes, willing clients and booming economy to help turn their Oklahoma dreams into reality. This westward migration is the subject of the exhibition at AIA San Francisco's Center for Architecture + Design. The exhibition's name points to Goff's only strict rule — carried out with the help of a faculty that included the uber-talented architect Herb Greene and Mendel Glickman, Wright's longtime structural engineer — that while students should be aware of the past, they must not copy it or be limited by it. Goff instead encouraged students to draw inspiration from the geology and culture of locations, from their own fantasies and from sources as wide as music and mythology. The show is a smaller, scrappier counterpoint to an exhibition —and accompanying catalog — staged last fall at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in Oklahoma City. That show was called called 'Outré West,' its name alluding to the unconventional approach of these West Coast transplants. Piscitelli created it with Angela Pherson and Stephanie Pilat. Piscitelli both curated and designed the exhibition in San Francisco, whose reproduced images are not set in precious frames, like fine art, but printed on recyclable cardboard panels resting on Home Depot galvanized studs. 'We leaned into their mass-reproduced nature,' explains Piscitelli, who also wanted to capture the feeling of discovering these pieces in archives. 'They're not art objects — they're fragments of practice: drawings, site photos, construction details, press clippings.' Goff's students adapted his radical approach particularly well to Northern California's dramatic landscapes, ranging from emerald green bluffs and cascading valleys to fog-embraced coastlines. Their names, like his, barely register in today's consciousness. But they should. Those highlighted in the show include MacDonald, Mickey Muennig, John Marsh Davis and Violeta Autumn, as well as a few architects not displayed at the OU show, like Valentino Agnoli, Robert Overstreet and Robert A. Bowlby. 'Do Not Try to Remember' is organized by themes, not architects. 'Building From Site' emphasizes intimate interactions with the area's landscapes and culture: Muennig's cliff-hugging, prehistoric-seeming structures, for example, employ natural materials excavated directly from their sites. His two houses for Greek businessman John Psyllos in Big Sur take their cues from the area's sloped landscapes and natural terraces and even the vernacular architecture of Greece, resulting in spiraling stone landings, curved brick arches and heavily stepped masses. Muennig's own home, covered in a thick green roof (long before that was a thing), was known to be inhabited by frogs, gophers and lizards — merging in every way with the land. Violeta Autumn's vertiginous redwood-and-concrete house perched along a cliff in Sausalito — a site others deemed unbuildable — demonstrates how terrain could inspire formal innovation. John Marsh Davis took this further in his Barbour House in Marin County's Kentfield, creating a structure that spans lengthwise, like a bridge, in order to fully open — via massive glass and wood sliders — to its lush garden, blurring any distinction between inside and out. 'Structural Expression,' meanwhile, showcases how these architects elevated natural structural elements like beams, vaults and joinery into art. 'They saw structure as a poetic element,' Piscitelli explains. 'Not concealed, but celebrated.' Davis took this approach in the three-story atrium of his Calle del Sierra Residence in Stinson Beach, which is visually connected on all levels, showcasing exposed timber trusses and open lofts reachable via intricate ladders. Agnoli, who worked as a carpenter prior to entering architecture, used long spans of wood to create massive trusses and spiraling nautilus shapesand formed brick into catenary arches. Sensitive urbanism, too — as opposed to the scorched-earth urban renewal of many Modernists — was a central preoccupation, and in a section called 'Architecture for All,' the show includes lesser-known projects that tackled themes of density and equity decades before these entered the architectural mainstream. Donald MacDonald's Two Worlds housing project in Mountain View creates a layered, mixed-use 'village' filled with irregular plazas and mature foliage. 'That project could be built today and still feel ahead of its time,' Piscitelli says. While much of this work may look wild or undisciplined — it certainly did to adherents of the International Style — it in fact required extraordinary craft and skill. The show emphasizes these architects' commitment to working collaboratively with contractors, builders, fabricators and structural engineers. 'It's not just these solitary geniuses, right? They really were working in communities of artisans and clients,' says Piscitelli. For the Aug. 14 closing reception, AIA San Francisco will convene several of these surviving contributors, including Jim Lino and Frank Pinney, the builders of many of Davis' and Muennig's projects. Such efforts help shed light on a visionary movement that has been severely underappreciated due to, among other things, its intentionally out-of-the-mainstream nature and its practitioners' distance — both literally and figuratively — to power. Goff may have led the way in Oklahoma, but Gropius led Harvard, Mies van der Rohe led IIT and the list goes on. As the show points out, these designers were regularly dismissed as 'outlaws,' 'iconoclasts' and 'renegades,' all terms they would come to embrace. Designer and critic Charles Jencks is quoted, from his story in Architectural Design magazine: 'Goff is so extreme that he makes the rest of the Avant-Garde look like a bunch of prep school conformists wearing the same school tie.' Goff, who was gay, did not conform to prevailing views about sexuality, either, and left OU in 1955 under what some historians consider to be duress. He began his work on LACMA's Japanese Pavilion in 1978 but did not live long enough to see it built. There has been a recent uptick in interest in Goff and the American School, including a recent film about Goff called simply 'Goff,' one about Herb Green ('Remembering the Future With Herb Green') and a major 2020 exhibition at OU called 'Renegades,' whose attendance was badly limited by the pandemic. A new book, 'Bruce Goff: Material Worlds,' is set to come out at the end of this year in conjunction with an exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago. All reveal not just a mind-boggling collection of talent but how relevant the work is today, when our built world feels so predictable, artificial and wasteful. 'These architects were having really prescient conversations really early, at a time when architecture at the midcentury was still obsessed with replicating forms in a mass-produced context,' Piscitelli says. We have much more to learn, he adds. 'It's almost like we're still trying to find a language to describe these architects because they were in some ways so divorced from the mainstream.'
CNBC
30-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Architecture firms report decline in billings for commercial real estate
Architecture firms are reporting a drop in billings as concerns about the broader economy and tariffs impact commercial real estate development and spending. The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) remained in negative territory in June with a score of 46.8, down from 47.2 in May. Anything below 50 is considered negative sentiment. "Business conditions were soft nationwide in June, with a slight billing increase in the South for the first time since October," said Kermit Baker, chief economist at AIA, the American Institute of Architects. "Other regions saw declining billings, though at a slower pace. While all specializations experienced softer billings, the decline slowed for commercial/industrial and institutional firms. Multifamily firms faced the weakest conditions, with further declines." CNBC's Property Play with Diana Olick covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, delivered weekly to your inbox. Subscribe here to get access today. One bright spot was inquiries into new projects, which increased for the second consecutive month and grew at the strongest pace since last fall with a score of 53.6. This suggests that clients are starting to send out requests for proposals and will start working with architecture firms on potential projects. AIA notes that these inquiries do not necessarily translate into actual projects. The value of newly signed design contracts also fell for the 16th straight month. Billings are not likely to improve until the value of these new design contracts also sees gains. The AIA also put out its midyear forecast: The AIA forecasts that overall spending on nonresidential buildings, not adjusted for inflation, will increase only 1.7% this year and grow very modestly to just 2% next year. Spending on the construction of manufacturing facilities, which had been a bright spot in recent years, is now expected to decline 2% this year, with an additional drop of 2.6% next year. Institutional facilities are expected to be the strongest sector with projected gains of 6.1% this year and another 3.8% in 2026. In addition to a slowing economy, unclear and constantly changing tariff policy is creating growing uncertainty in the architect, engineer and construction services industry. "Not knowing what products will cost in the future, whether they will be available, how these changes might affect their supply chain, and whether they will provoke a trade war with the exporting countries are all questions that the AEC industry is asking before proceeding with planned projects," according to the report.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Modernist Home in Montecito Designed by a Pioneering Architect Just Listed for $18 Million
Designed by trailblazer Lutah Maria Riggs, Santa Barbara's first licensed female architect and one of the first women to be named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, this midcentury-modern residence was described as a 'glass tent' by Time magazine upon its completion in the early 1950s. Sold to its current owner in spring 2011 for $6.25 million and subsequently renovated, it's just popped up on the market for a dash under $14 million. And, according to the listing held by Luke Ebbin of The Ebbin Group at Compass, it's 'a living piece of architectural history and one of Montecito's most important homes.' After starting out as an apprentice to Spanish Revival master George Washington Smith, Riggs went on to head up her own firm. In addition to creating numerous Spanish Colonial Revival and modernist homes throughout the Southern California region—including a suburban Los Angeles residence for actress Greta Garbo—the Ohio-born architect also had a hand in numerous commercial projects, ranging from the restoration of the Lobero Theatre to a small temple for the Vedanta Society. More from Robb Report Profits at the Macallan's Parent Company Dropped 26% This Year Porsche Club of America Members Get First Dibs on This New, Ultra-Limited 911 VisionF's New Speedboat Can Hit a Staggering 92 MPH at Full Tilt When her commissions dwindled during World War II, Riggs found work as a Hollywood set designer for MGM and Warner Brothers, crafting Regency-inspired sets for films such as The Picture of Dorian Gray. RELATED: Meg Ryan Has Relisted Her Revamped Montecito Estate for $19.5 Million Commissioned by Alice Erving and created during Riggs's modernist phase, this particular abode is tucked away on nearly three acres in the exclusive Golden Quadrangle neighborhood, near the Upper Village shopping center. A gated, oak-laced driveway meanders its way up to a motor court and flat-roofed carport, with a covered walkway leading past a courtyard before emptying at the wood-sided main home. Other structures include a small office and creekside guesthouse, adding to a combined total of three bedrooms and four baths in roughly 3,000 square feet. A double-height entry foyer flows to the soaring triangular-shaped living space, which is spotlighted by expansive walls of glass overlooking picturesque views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and a massive stone fireplace inspired by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, whom Riggs collaborated with on at least one project. Other highlights include a formal dining area, a kitchen updated with custom Poggenpohl cabinetry and top-tier appliances, and a primary suite hosting dual dressing rooms and a spa-like bath. RELATED: 'NYPD Blue' Star Dennis Franz Is Asking $18 Million for His Bucolic Montecito Retreat Arguably the property's most impressive feature is the secluded grounds. Originally designed by noted landscape architect Thomas Church and recently rejuvenated in keeping with Church's original vision, they include native plantings, lavender fields, fruit trees, vegetable gardens, a zig-zag bridge spanning a koi pond, a bocce court, and several spots for alfresco lounging and of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
Fast Company
18-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Why are architects so underpaid? Here are 4 reasons, plus one way to fix it
Architects have long complained about the industry's relatively paltry pay. Given the amount of expensive education architects require (master's level), and the years they have to put in (many) before qualifying to take a licensure exam (arduous), they have been rightly upset: Architects can barely expect to crack the $100,000 salary mark after more than eight years in the profession. Now there are some numbers to back that up. Compared to every other design descipline Fast Company has studied in our our ongoing analysis of where the design jobs are, architects are underpaid, particularly as their careers progress. Their compensation increases at the slowest rate, based on years of experience. Fixing the problem requires a nuanced understanding of the outside factors that limit pay, according to Evelyn Lee, president of the American Institute of Architects. 'Architecture is an industry that's always been known to work within tight margins,' she says. Part of the reason is that the industry long ago set standardized fee structures—basically a percentage of overall construction costs—and those numbers haven't changed much. 'Our ability to get paid more is tied back to that,' Lee says. Architecture is also tied to economic cycles, and it can be a bellwether of recessions. 'When things are good, and people are spending a lot of money on capital costs, we are doing well. But we're usually the first service to get cut when people start to hold back, and we're the last to come on board when the economy starts coming back,' Lee says. And because they're never quite sure when the next project will come around, many architecture firms end up being conservative with their spending and salaries. Subscribe to the Design latest innovations in design brought to you every weekday SIGN UP Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters advertisement The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Los Angeles Times
14-06-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
How Architects Help After a Wildfire and How to Find the Right One
When wildfires destroy a home, hiring an architect may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it can make a big difference in how safely, affordably, and quickly the rebuilding process takes. 'One of the very first things an architect is going to do is to try and find that high-level alignment between, what someone wants to build and what they are able to finance,' Jessica Orlando, a licensed architect and Vice President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Pasadena & Foothill Chapter said. 'Selfishly, I wish that folks were more aware of architects and what benefit we can bring to the process.' Orlando has been working directly with wildfire survivors through the Pasadena & Foothill Chapter's 'Ask an Architect' program, which offers free guidance to homeowners navigating an unfamiliar system. 'We see it as part of our core mission to support the communities that we live and work in,' Orlando said. 'We understand that most folks have never done this before, and they don't know what to look for.' Orlando said it's important for people to understand what architects do and to include them on their rebuilding teams, as they can be a trusted partner and help homeowners make informed decisions that best fit their situations. 'Architects are really meant to be there for [wildfire survivors] to help with this overwhelming amount of information,' Orlando said. 'It can be really daunting to try and assess what the right option is,' she added. Architects act as guides during the rebuilding process. A significant part of their contribution comes in the design and permitting phase, but they can also vet contractors, review pricing estimates, and make sure that fire-resistant materials are efficiently incorporated into rebuilds. 'Their primary goal is really to advocate for the owner,' Orlando said. While architects are not legally required to rebuild a single-family home in California, they play a key role in helping homeowners meet the state's strict fire-resistance standards. In high-risk areas, homes must comply with Chapter 7A of the California Building Code and follow Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) regulations. Architects help interpret these complex requirements, navigate local laws and insurance limitations, and design for defensible space around the home. 'They will be best positioned to design what we call a resilient home for you,' Orlando said. 'There are specific kinds of strategies and materials that can be used to help safeguard your future home against a future wildfire or other natural disaster.' Their expertise also helps coordinate surveyors, engineers, and energy consultants, which reduces the risk of design flaws or costly delays. In unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, eligible homeowners may also benefit from the Building Plan Check Self-Certification Pilot Program. Licensed architects who meet specific criteria can expedite the permit process by certifying that their plans comply with all code requirements, enabling them to bypass traditional plan reviews and begin rebuilding sooner. Some homeowners prefer to work directly with a contractor after a fire, especially if they're focused on getting the rebuild started quickly. But architects and contractors serve different roles, and skipping the design side can create complications later and may even slow you down. '[Architects] will work directly with your contractor to resolve any issues that may arise during construction,' Orlando said. 'It's really their job to help shepherd the delivery to success.' Contractors are responsible for building the home according to the plans. Architects are laser-focused on ensuring that those plans are designed to code, reflect your goals, and can be permitted efficiently. Orlando said some homeowners who go straight to contractors may not realize they're losing flexibility in the design and long-term control over their budget. 'There are some really great, reputable contractors out there… but we just want to make sure that folks understand the limitations of that system,' she said. Orlando emphasized that a good architect doesn't replace your contractor — they help guide and support the process from the beginning of the design through final construction. This also applies to homeowners using modular or prefabricated homes. While prefab manufacturers typically provide state-approved designs, a licensed architect can still assist with site-specific planning, zoning compliance, or adding an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) that may be used as a smaller shelter during construction. Here are some key tips to consider when selecting an architect to partner with for your building project. Make sure they're licensed Only architects licensed by the California Architects Board are legally allowed to call themselves 'architects.' Orlando noted that some people use the title without being licensed, which is illegal in California. Homeowners can verify the credentials of individual architects by visiting the California Architect Board's website. Orlando said AIA members have also committed to a code of ethics and are required to complete continuing education. Architects who are members of the national organization may have more knowledge to help with wildfire recovery. 'If an architect is an AIA member, it's kind of just that extra gold star for someone to showcase they are a very committed member of the profession,' Orlando said. Bring in an Architect Early 'We definitely feel that it's best if you hire an architect sooner rather than later,' Orlando said. While many homeowners wait until their insurance claim is finalized, Orlando explained that architects can help interpret what a settlement will actually buy and help shape your design to match your budget. 'So, you know, if you get a half-million-dollar payout… how much space can you build for that dollar value? They can help provide guidance on budget management and just the scope and scale of what you can rebuild.' Understand the fee and expectations Orlando acknowledged that many people assume architects are expensive, but the cost also includes a better peace of mind. She said architect fees typically range from 5% to 12% of your rebuild budget, depending on the level of service. Some architects stop after producing permit-ready plans and design services. Others stay on through construction. Orlando encourages homeowners to get at least three proposals and review what each one includes, so 'you can compare what each architect or designer is offering and make sure that they're apples to apples.' She also said many architects in the Los Angeles area are sympathetic to the wildfire survivors and want to ease their recovery. 'If you reach out to an architect, let them know that you were impacted by the fires. They may offer you a discount,' Orlando advised. However, it's not just about the cost being too high when considering fees and agreements with an architect. Orlando said people should steer clear of architects who have contracts with no plan revisions, unclear responsibilities, or who offer limited support during construction. 'We're seeing very cheap proposals that do not include what we would consider to be kind of basic services for folks,' Orlando said. Wildfire recovery is a complex process, and hiring all these professionals can feel overwhelming, especially when time and money are tight. To make sure you are using people who are not trying to take advantage of your vulnerability with a substandard proposal or services, the AIA's Pasadena Foothill chapter has created the 'Ask an Architect' program for wildfire survivors. 'It's a free public service that we're offering right now, where we will conduct one-on-one consultations with folks,' Orlando said. The 'Ask an Architect' program is a volunteer-led effort that connects homeowners impacted by the January 2025 wildfires with licensed architects. It does not provide design services, but it can help answer high-level questions about your situation and what the process might look like if you decide to rebuild. The volunteers will be able to flag if the proposals 'don't have what we at the AIA, would consider to be a minimum scope of services,' Orlando said. Even if you're not ready to rebuild or have already engaged a contractor, a short conversation could help you understand your options. To learn more or request a consultation, visit or email wildfiresupport@
