Under the Influence 008

Please join us for Under the Influence 008, which will take place at the Avenel Cooperative Housing, designed by Gregory Ain.

Under the Influence is a series of conversations that expands upon the concepts of Los Angeles Modernism. This radical movement rejected predetermined rules and embraced experimentation, striving for freedom of expression in all areas of culture. Modernism also catalyzed an interest in social equality, politics, healthy environments, new materials, and innovation, ushering design into a new and transformative era. The series brings together architects, artists, and designers from all over the world to engage in dialogue with local architects, landscape architects, and creatives in LA's quintessential iconic modernist spaces. We aim to uncover the influence of this radical approach on today’s culture and will reflect on what we do next by bringing foreign and local voices into experimental and progressive conversations.

Two speakers are invited for each talk: one local and one from elsewhere. Each speaker will present their work, highlighting the experimental approach’s influence that Los Angeles Modernism set in motion. The presentation will be followed by a conversation among the speakers and with the audience.

Speakers: Tatiana Bilbao (Mexico City) and Alfred Fraijo Jr. (Los Angeles).

Tickets: Non-Members $30, Members and Students $15

Bios:

Tatiana Bilbao

Tatiana Bilbao began her eponymous studio in 2004 with the aim of integrating research, design, community-led strategies, and responsible construction. Bilbao’s studio work intersects field research and well as a construction of an intellectual approach to focus on spaces that aim to become platforms for the possibility and enhancement of life across typologies and in different parts of the world. Prior to founding her firm, Bilbao was an Advisor in the Ministry of Development and Housing of the Government of the Federal District of Mexico City, during this period she was part of the General Development Directorate of the Advisory Council for Urban Development in the City.

Bilbao holds a recurring teaching position at Yale University School of Architecture and has taught at Columbia University GSAPP, Harvard University GSD, Rice University, University of Andrés Bello in Chile, and Peter Behrens School of Arts at HS Dusseldorf in Germany. Her work has been published in The New York Times, A + U, Domus, Arquitectura Viva, El País, among others.

Also, Bilbao has been recognized with the Kunstpreis Berlin in 2012, was named in 2010 as an Emerging Voice by the Architecture League of New York, the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture Prize by the LOCUS Foundation in 2014, the Marcus Prize Award 2019, Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal of 2020, The Honorary Fellow of The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in 2021, Richard Neutra Award, the AW Architect in 2022 and and The J. Irwin y Xenia S. Miller Prize and ArpaFIL Award in 2023. Boston Architectural College recently awarded Tatiana Bilbao an Honorary Doctor in recognition of the major contribution she has made to architecture.

Alfred Fraijo Jr.

Alfred is owner and principal of the Somos Group. He founded Somos to spearhead innovative projects for clients that depend on partnerships and a broad range of disciplines in planning and law to reimagine urban placemaking. He specializes in managing the design and permitting of complex development projects for government and private sector clients. Under his leadership, a team of planners and consultants have developed some of the most transformative planning and research projects in urban communities spanning the commercial, residential, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. Prior to starting his own firm, Alfred was a senior partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, where he led the Real Estate and Land Use Practice team in Los Angeles and served on the firm’s Executive Committee. Alfred was born and raised in Los Angeles and is passionate about community service and serves on prominent organizations advancing urban redevelopment and social equity. He is a leader in the Latinx and LGBTQ communities, serving on the executive boards of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the California Community Foundation and is the founder of Inclusive Action for the City Inc., a multidisciplinary nonprofit organization advocating for equitable land use and sustainable development policies.

Alfred serves as president on the board of directors for the Friends of the Hollywood Freeway Central Park, and he advises several non-profit housing development corporations, serving as a board member of California Community Builders and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. In addition, he is a founding board member of Honor PAC and For People of Color, a non-profit organization dedicated to growing diversity in the legal profession.

Alfred has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a J.D. from Loyola Marymount University.

This program is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture, and by Neutra VDL Studio and Residences.

Special thanks to Roberto Scheinberg and Robert Nashak for hosting this event.

Event Organizers: Lorena Garcia, Monica Lamela Blazquez, Donatella Cusmá, and Roberto Paz

RSVP HERE

Image credits:

Image 1: Avenel Cooperative Housing. Gregory Ain. Photo Julius Shulman photo. © J. Paul Getty Trust

Image 2: Sea of Cortez Research Center, Mazatlan, Mexico. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio. Photo Juan Manuel McGrath©

Image 3: Sea of Cortez Research Center, Mexico. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio. Photo Juan Manuel McGrath©

Image 4: Sea of Cortez Research Center. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio© 

Image 5: Culiacan Botanical Garden, Mexico. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio. Photo Onnis Luque©

Image 6: Los Terrenos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio. Photo Rory Gardiner©

Image 7: Hunters Point Masterplan, San Francisco. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, Somos, urb-in, studio-MLA. Collage by Tatiana Bilbao Estudio©

Image 8: Hunters Point Masterplan, San Francisco. Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, Somos, urb-in, studio-MLA. Drawing by Tatiana Bilbao Estudio©

Image 9: Hunters Point Shoreline, San Francisco. Somos, urb-in, Envelope A+D, RHAA, Manuel Miranda Practice.

Image 10: Now Hunters Point, San Francisco. Somos, urb-in, Envelope A+D, Studio O.

Image 11: Fairplex Specific Plan, Pomona. Somos.