Under the Influence 007

Please join us for Under the Influence 007, which will take place at the Kelton Apartments designed by Richard Neutra.

Speakers: Alfredo Thiermann (Chile) and Mark Lee (Los Angeles)

Date: Friday, October 11th, 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Venue: Kelton Apartments, designed by Richard Neutra (address provided after RSVP)

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 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, initiated by a question each speaker asks of the other.

Bios:

Alfredo Thiermann is an architect and Professor for History and Theory of Architecture at the École polytechnique fédérale in Lausanne. Through his practice and theoretical research, he explores the intersection between architecture and different media. He has previously taught at Harvard University, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and other institutions. Alfredo’s work has been published in Harvard Design Magazine, A+U, Revista ARQ, TRACE magazine, Revue Matières, Potlatch, Real Review, Thresholds, Archithese, GTA Papers, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and BauNetz, and has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Santiago, the Istanbul Design Biennial, gta exhibitions in Zurich, and the Venice Art Biennale among other institutions. He has been the recipient of the Rome Prize of the German Academy in Rome.

Alfredo studied architecture, receiving his professional degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile and a Masters degree from Princeton University. He received his doctoral degree from the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich. He has been a fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, at the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal, and at the Collegium Helveticum in Zurich. He is the author of Radio-Activities: Architecture and Broadcasting in Cold War Berlin published by MIT Press. He lives, works, and takes care of Pedro Tristán and Juan Nataniel between Lausanne and Berlin.

Mark Lee is the founding partner of Johnston Marklee, based in Los Angeles, CA and Cambridge, MA. Since its establishment in 1998, Johnston Marklee has been recognized nationally and internationally with over 50 major awards, including the Richard Neutra Award for Professional Excellence, the American Academy of Arts & Letters Award in Architecture, and the Award for Excellence in Public Engagement with the Built Environment by the Society of Architectural Historians. A book on the firm’s work, entitled, House Is a House Is a House Is a House Is a House, was published by Birkhauser in 2016, and monographs include: 2G N. 67, El Croquis N. 198, and A+U N. 614.

Mark served as the Chair of the Department of Architecture at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design from 2018 to 2023, where he has also taught as Professor in Practice. In addition, Mark has previously taught at Princeton University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the Technical University of Berlin, ETH Zurich; and he has held the Cullinan Chair at Rice University and the Frank Gehry International Chair at the University of Toronto.

The work of Johnston Marklee spans fourteen countries and resides in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Menil Collection, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Architecture Museum of TU Munich. Together with partner, Sharon Johnston FAIA, Mark was the Artistic Director of the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

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

Photo of Kelton Apartments by Damon Jones / @survivalthroughdesign

Please note: by attending this event, you agree to the liability waiver and release below. Liability Waiver and Release: * I hereby declare that I accept and understand the following conditional requirements of my participation in LA Forum's Under The Influence 007 event. I declare that I fully intend to be bound by the condition stated herein. I further declare that I have read and fully understand all of the conditions outlined below. In consideration of acceptance of my participation in LA Forum's Under the Influence 007 event, I, for myself, my heirs and assigns, hereby release the sponsors, program participants, coordinators, and officials of this event from any and all liability arising from illness and/or damages I may suffer as a result of participation in such an event. I attest that I will wear any protective gear required by the event organizers. I agree that if I violate this agreement and attempt to bring suit against any part of parties named herein, that I will be held responsible for attorney’s fees and any costs incurred by that person in defending such action. I further understand that this waiver applies to all or any events in which I may participate from the time I convene with the event forward and that this waiver and release of rights contains no expiration date.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: CONVERSATION 007

ALFREDO THIERMANN & MARK LEE