Environmental Design at Otis College of Art and Design

01/04/2025

We are excited to host Alice Bucknell on February 11, 2025 as part of our spring guest lecture series.

Learn about some of her work, The Alluvials, an immersive film that leverages ecological theory, speculative fiction, and posthuman game design to explore the politics of drought and water scarcity in a near-future version of Los Angeles.

MAD Madrid Artes digitales 19 - 21.09.2024

12/16/2024

Save the date for our spring guest lecture with Alice Bucknell on February 11, 2025!

12/11/2024

Our 2025 Donghia Designer-in-Residence, Tiantian Xu, will work with our students on the Jinyun Quarries. Learn more at http://www.designandarchitecture.net/

Following her architectural acupuncture approach, Tiantian's DNA Design and Architecture firm proposed seeing the quarries not as an existing topography but as architecture that needed some delicate enhancements. That was a radically new approach to the matter and can also be seen as their contribution to the theme of quarry rehabilitation. Their project made the space accessible and safe and introduced an additional layer of domesticity and human scale, reviving the quarries and the collective memory of the place.

12/02/2024

Save the Date: Alice Bucknell's lecture on February 11, 2025!

We are honored to announce Alice Bucknell, the second Collide Copenhagen residency award recipient, as part of our Spring lecture series.

Read about Bucknell's deep interweaving of technology and nature in contemporary culture:
https://home.cern/news/news/cern/alice-bucknell-wins-second-edition-collide-copenhagen-residency-award

Alice Bucknell is an artist interested in game engines and speculative fiction. Their recent work has focused on creating cinematic universes within game worlds, exploring the affective dimensions of video games as interfaces for understanding complex systems, relations, and forms of knowledge.

Collide Copenhagen is a three-year collaboration framework between CERN and Copenhagen Contemporary. It supports artistic research into art, science, and technology, with a residency taking place annually from 2023 to 2025.

11/26/2024

Congratulations to Environmental Design student Clay Copeland for his winning entry to the 2024 AIA LA 2x8 annual design competition!

Two students from each of the 14 schools of architecture in California were invited to submit work. Seven outstanding projects were awarded $2,000 scholarships, recognizing their innovation and creativity. Learn more: https://ac-la.org/home/2x8/

Clay Copeland: Co-Living - Collaborative Living in the Castro

Located in the historic Castro district in San Francisco, California, this project combines the dynamic, dense city life with the celebrated, unique San Franciscan style of Victorian and bay window townhouses. The project explores the inherent possibilities in recombining iconic San Franciscan architectural forms. Just as collaboration between people allows
for a rich mix of ideas, collaboration between vernacular forms allows for a rich combination of spaces.

The components of the traditional San Franciscan Victorian include bay windows, doors, staircases, Victorian details, and horizontal siding, and are the building blocks for the design. These elements as a building block are then twisted, sliced, and stacked. The recombination allows the project to
grow, breathe, and create unique shared spaces. These spaces are enriched by the overlapping of each unit’s walls from levels both above, below, and adjacent, also creating voids between the units.

These clusters of units amplify the style of the surrounding existing Victorian structures. In a typical co-living environment, a random combination of people share a space to live amongst one another. The interior spaces of this project are recombinations and collages of common interior spaces, allowing for
recombinations of the inhabitants with reforged living conditions.

11/25/2024

Save the date: Xu Tiantian's lecture on March 27, 2025!

We are honored to announce 2023 Holcim Awards winner Xu Tiantian, as our Donghia Designer-in-Residence!

Read more about Xu's approach to architecture, which favors conservation and adaptive reuse:
https://www.holcimfoundation.org/news/2024/architecture-like-acupuncture

Xu Tiantian is the founder of DnA_Design and Architecture based in Beijing, China. Her work has engaged extensively with rural revitalizing processes, as well as architectural acupuncture to work with different contexts and heritage of village and rural regions.

The Donghia Designer-in-Residency, including the lecture and master class, is organized by the Environmental Design department at Otis College and is made possible through a generous grant from the Angelo Donghia Foundation, a privately-held, not-for-profit organization created under the will of the late Angelo Donghia. The Foundation supports two distinct fields: advancement of education in interior design and initiatives about discovering the causes of AIDS and its related diseases and their treatment methods.

11/13/2024

Join us tomorrow for David Goodshall's lecture, New Ecologies of Radical Kindness, at 7pm in the Forum.

David's lecture will review Terremoto's mission: "a design sensibility that’s tranquil in ex*****on while also being built on progressive maxims of how gardens should be made. These maxims incorporate climate, fair labor, and water concerns, along with a strong leaning toward regionally appropriate native or climate-adapted low-water plants and the preference for a considered yet slightly unkempt look that’s good for biodiversity and looks fantastic."

Parking is free and open to the public. Entrance on La Tijera Blvd.

Photo credits in caption.

11/05/2024

We are excited to have David Goodshall, one of the founding members of the landscape architecture firm Terremoto, visit on Thursday, Nov 14 at 7pm in the Forum.

David's lecture, New Ecologies of Radical Kindness, will review Terremoto's mission: "a design sensibility that’s tranquil in ex*****on while also being built on progressive maxims of how gardens should be made. These maxims incorporate climate, fair labor, and water concerns, along with a strong leaning toward regionally appropriate native or climate-adapted low-water plants and the preference for a considered yet slightly unkempt look that’s good for biodiversity and looks fantastic."

Parking is free and open to the public. Entrance on La Tijera Blvd.

Read and see more of Terremoto's work:

With a portfolio of high-profile, slightly wild, forward-thinking gardens, Terremoto is the landscape design firm we need more than ever.

10/31/2024

DAVID GODSHALL
Co-founder and principal of TERREMOTO
New Ecologies of Radical Kindness

LECTURE Thursday, NOVEMBER 14, 7:00 pm

David Godshall's lecture will take place in the Forum, Academic Wing, Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Campus
Otis College of Art and Design, 9045 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90045

The lecture and parking are free and open to the public.

TERREMOTO is a twenty-eight-person office for landscape architecture whose primary motivation is to maximize the ecological and social well-being of land and our human connections to it. We believe that through investigating the nature of our relationships to the tools with which we create (land, labor, plants and materials), we can improve and evolve our modes and methods of practice. By asking “Why, How and For Whom is the Garden?” we drift towards ecologically and philosophically fertile new territory. This lecture will be a discussion and conversation about these novel and emergent modes of practice.

David Godshall, Co-Founder and Partner – Los Angeles Office
David Godshall is a landscape architect and the co-founder and principal of TERREMOTO, where he leads the Los Angeles office. David’s strategic approach to design is inherently rooted in philosophy and the idea that ecology, horticulture, and landscape have transformative physical and metaphorical impacts upon a person and a place. David received a Master’s degree Cum Laude from UC Berkeley after receiving a BA Cum Laude from UC Santa Barbara.

Image credit in the caption.

10/25/2024

Join us on Thursday, November 14, at 7pm for a special lecture with Q+A by David Godshall, co-founder and principal of Terremoto LA.

Meet us in the Forum at Otis College of Art and Design
9045 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90045

David Godshal: “New Ecologies of Radical Kindness”
The lecture and parking are free and open to the public.

TERREMOTO is a twenty-eight-person office for landscape architecture whose primary motivation is to maximize the ecological and social well-being of land and our human connections to it. We believe that through investigating the nature of our relationships to the tools with which we create (land, labor, plants and materials), we can improve and evolve our modes and methods of practice. By asking “Why, How and For Whom is the Garden?” we drift towards ecologically and philosophically fertile new territory. This lecture will be a discussion and conversation about these novel and emergent modes of practice.
https://terremoto.la/

David Godshall, Co-Founder and Partner – Los Angeles Office
David Godshall is a landscape architect and the co-founder and principal of TERREMOTO, where he leads the Los Angeles office. David’s strategic approach to design is inherently rooted in philosophy and the idea that ecology, horticulture and landscape have transformative physical and metaphorical impacts upon a person and a place. David received a Master’s degree Cum Laude from UC Berkeley after receiving a BA Cum Laude from UC Santa Barbara.

Image courtesy of David Godshall.

10/03/2024

Join us for a special lecture with Q+A by Genelle Brooks-Petty today at 6 pm in the Forum.

Genelle Brooks-Petty: Fall Guest Lecture Series
Otis College of Art and Design-Forum
9045 Lincoln Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Parking is free and open to all. Garage entrance on La Tijera Blvd.

10/01/2024

With an incredible portfolio of commercial and residential galleries, stunning before/after photos and intriguing architectural observations, BPC Interior Design by Genelle Brooks-Pretty will surely catch your eye!

Your chance to hear from Genelle Brooks-Petty, our esteemed faculty member, is this Thursday, October 3rd, at 6pm in the Forum. We'll meet you there!

Genelle Brooks-Petty:
Fall Guest Lecture Series
Otis College of Art and Design-Forum
9045 Lincoln Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Parking is free and open to all. Garage entrance on La Tijera Blvd.

09/25/2024

We can't wait for Genelle Brooks-Petty's lecture next week on Thursday, October 3rd, at 6pm in the Forum.

Check out this article about Genelle for more of her incredible work.

We were lucky to catch up with Genelle Brooks-Petty recently and have shared our conversation below. Genelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know? I am a fourth generation Leimert Park re...

09/20/2024

Join us for a special lecture with Q+A by fellow faculty member Genelle Brooks-Petty on Thursday, October 3, at 6 pm in the Forum.

Genelle Brooks-Petty, Interior Designer, Community Activist, Entrepreneur, and Faculty member at Otis College of Art and Design

Genelle Brooks-Petty is the principal designer of BPC Interior Design. After spending several years in the fashion industry, her clients encouraged her to venture into interior design. While studying interior architecture at UCLA, she further refined her skills under the guidance of designer Erinn Valencich. Simultaneously, she worked on her own residential and small-scale commercial projects. This experience allowed her to develop a unique perspective and a design practice centered around a mission. Her work is focused on using design to build and strengthen communities.

Genelle is a graduate of Howard University's School of Business, and she holds a Master of Interior Architecture degree from the joint study program between UCLA and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She currently serves as a County of LA Commissioner on the Marina del Rey Design Control Board. Genelle is also an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and previously served as the Chair of the AIA-LA JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Committee. She has also been a board member of SoCal NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) and is actively involved in various other impactful organizations.

04/10/2024

Anna Heringer, the 2024 Donghia Designer in Residence, led a Masterclass in “Claystorming”, a technique for 3D sketching in clay, and delivered a lecture at Otis College of Art and Design. From March 22-27, eight students worked collaboratively and individually on the design of a library in Northern Ghana. The Masterclass culminated in a review where the students presented their work to local architects and designers. On March 28 Anna lectured on her current and past work in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The participating students were, Devin Collura, Clay Copeland, Aaron Lee, Isaiah Levels, Carlos Price-Gracida, Christian Rose, Anvesha Venkatesh, Jack Wang

The guest critics were, Julie Eisenberg, FAIA, LFRAIA, Founding Principal Koning Eisenberg
Valery Augustin, Founding Principal of DNA Architecture +Design, Inc.
Monica Lamela, Founding Principal of There There, a design and research practice.
Luciana Varkulja, Founding Principal of UMA Architecture and Design, Senior Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design
David Turnbull, Consultant working on Integrated City Planning and Ecosystem Restoration, Professor of Architecture, Critic and Writer.
James Shen, Founding Partner at People’s Architecture Office, Senior Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design.

The Masterclass and lecture were organized by the Environmental Design Department at Otis College of Art and Design and made possible through a generous donation from the Angelo Donghia Foundation.

The ANGELO DONGHIA FOUNDATION, a privately held not-for-profit organization created under the will of the late Angelo Donghia, provides support for two distinct fields: the advancement of education in the field of interior design and initiatives pertaining to the discovery of causes of AIDS and its related diseases, and their methods of treatment.

All photos by Danielle Vega

03/01/2024

ANNA HERINGER

DONGHIA DESIGNER IN RESIDENCE LECTURE & RECEPTION
Thursday, MARCH 28
Reception 6:30pm, Lecture 7:30pm

The lecture will take place in the Forum, Academic Wing, Elaine and Bram Goldsmith Campus
Otis College of Art and Design, 9045 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90045
The lecture and parking are free and open to the public.

Anna Heringer is an architect and honorary professor of the UNESCO Chair of Earthen Architecture, Building Cultures, and Sustainable Development. Her focus is on the use of natural building materials. Her work has been widely published and exhibited at MoMA New York, the V&A Museum in London, and at the Venice Biennale, among other places. In 2013, with Andres Lepik and Hubert Klumpner, she initiated the Laufenmanifesto, where practitioners and academics from around the world contributed to define guidelines for a humane design culture.

This lecture with the preceding reserved-seating reception and the associated Donghia Master Class - led by the 2023-2024 Donghia Designer-in-Residence Anna Heringer at Otis College of Art and Design March 22-27, 2024 - is made possible through a generous donation from the Angelo Donghia Foundation.

The ANGELO DONGHIA FOUNDATION, a privately held not-for-profit organization created under the will of the late Angelo Donghia, provides support for two distinct fields: the advancement of education in the field of interior design and initiatives pertaining to the discovery of causes of AIDS and its related diseases, and their methods of treatment.

This lecture was organized by the Environmental Design Department at Otis College of Art and Design - otis.edu/environmental-design. This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

IMAGE: Bamboo Hostels China, photograph by Jenny JI

02/16/2024

Thank you to everyone who attended Monica Lamela: Spring Guest Lecture last night!
To learn more about Monica's projects, visit: https://therethere-architecture.com/

01/31/2024

Meet Monica Lamela, founding Principal of There There Architecture, on Thursday, February 15, at 7pm!

RSVP now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monica-lamela-environmental-design-spring-guest-lecture-series-tickets-807400896817?aff=oddtdtcreator

Monica Lamela is a registered architect in Spain practicing internationally. In her design projects, Monica strives for an architecture accessible to all, that enhances participation and addresses social challenges. This has led her to enrich collaborations across the world with Lacaton & Vassal, Franzis Kéré, Raumlabor, and Tatiana Bilbao Estudio.

Monica holds a MArch from Escuela Politecnica de Madrid (ETSAM), where she graduated with high honors, and a MS in History Theory and Society from UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, where she was a Fulbright fellow. She taught at UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design and was a Guest Speaker at ETH Zurich. She has been a Design Critic at UC Berkeley, Architectural Association, USC, Cal Poly Pomona, and Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design.