Postopolis! LA Update

Postopolis! LA has been gathering pace over the past few weeks, despite the silence, so it seemed like high time for an update. Although we’re still finalizing both the schedule and the list of speakers, it’s looking amazing so far.

[Image: Logo by Joe Alterio].

The whole thing kicks off in less than two weeks, running from Tuesday, March 31, to Saturday, April 4, and from 5pm-11pm everyday.
The venue has finally been announced, as well: we’ll be up in the sky, watching the sun set every evening from the rooftop pool, deck, and bar of the Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The event is free and open to everyone, with a cash bar and free wifi, so come on down for some landscape and architecture, bring your favorite wireless device, and wear your Speedo or bikini if you want to use the pool (it’s more like a wading pool, FYI). And, of course, we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for no rain.
The list of speakers, as it now stands, includes unbelievably interesting people. Here’s a glimpse:

—Ari Kletzky (Founder, Islands of LA)
—Austin Kelly (Principal, XTEN Architecture)
Ava Bromberg (Artist, In the Field)
—Ben Cerveny (Strategic and Conceptual Advisor, Stamen Design)
Benjamin Bratton (Architect and Theorist)
—Bryan Boyer (Organizer, Helsinki Design Lab 2010)
—Christina Ulke (Artist, Co-Founder, C-Level, and Editor, Journal of Aesthetics and Protest)
—Christopher Hawthorne (Architecture Critic, Los Angeles Times)
—David Burns, Matias Viegener, and Austin Young (Founders, fallen fruit)
David Gissen (Theorist and Historian, CCA)
—Dwayne Oyler (Architect and Principal, Oyler Wu Collaborative)
—Eric Rodenbeck (Founder, Stamen Design)
—Freya Bardell and Brian Howe (Principals, Greenmeme)
Fritz Haeg (Artist and Writer)
Gary Dauphin (Writer and Critic)
—Jeffrey Inaba (Architect and Principal, Inaba Projects)
Ken Ehrlich (Artist and Writer)
—Mary-Ann Ray (Architect, Writer, and Principal, Studio Works Architects)
—Matthew Coolidge (Director, Center for Land Use Interpretation)
—Michael Dear (Professor of Geography, USC)
—Michael Downing (Deputy Chief of Counter Terrorism, Los Angeles Police Department)
Mike the Poet (Poet and Writer)
—Orhan Ayyüce (Architect, Blogger, and Senior Editor, Archinect)
—Patrick Keller (Architect and Principal, Fabric)
—Paul Petrunia (Founder, Archinect)
—Robert Miles Kemp (Designer and Principal, Variate Labs)
—Sam Grawe (Editor-in-Chief, Dwell)
—Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee (Architects and Principals, Johnston MarkLee)
—Stephanie Smith (Founder, Ecoshack)
Steve Roden (Musician and Artist)
—Ted Kane (Architect and Author, Polar Inertia)
—Whitney Sander (Architect and Principal, Sander Architects)
—Yo-Ichiro Hakomori (Architect and Principal, wHY Architecture)
—Zach Frechette (Editor-in-Chief, GOOD)

That’s nowhere near the final list, though, as we’ve also got a handful of media panels planned for Saturday, April 4; these will include Matt Chaban from the Architect’s Newspaper, Dakota Smith from Curbed LA, Greg J. Smith of Serial Consign & Vague Terrain, journalist Alissa Walker, a variety of Archinect school bloggers, and many, many more.
So stay tuned for more updates.
And, don’t forget, Postopolis! LA will be hosted by BLDGBLOG, City of Sound, mudd up!, Plataforma Arquitectura/Arch Daily, Subtopia, and we make money not art, under the organization of the Storefront for Art and Architecture and the sponsorship of ForYourArt.
Hope to see you there!

14 thoughts on “Postopolis! LA Update”

  1. PS: Derrick, if you ever want to organize a Postopolis! Philadelphia, let me know (BLDGBLOG was born there in an apartment at 20th and Race, overlooking the moon-landing unit on display in the lawn of the Franklin Institute).

  2. I actually would love to do something like that. I feel that there isn’t nearly enough events outside of New York, never mind Philly… I’ve wanted to get start something of some value but don’t know where to start at all!

  3. I love the Standard. We were just there a few weeks ago. Incredible view up there. I miss L.A.

    Derrick – I hear ya. I lived in and around Philly for awhile and now live in Boston. I wouldn’t exactly call either city a font of creativity, and in Boston’s case particularly, lacks a love of any architecture that’s not red brick. Only this town would fight a Renzo Piano museum.

  4. Yup, I’m jealous. The Postopolis in NYC two years ago was incredible. I’d swing by for the purpose of hearing one speaker and then stay all afternoon. And how great was the Storefront for Art and Architecture for a venue? (Though I remember it was super hot that weekend – made it all the more like an architectural sweat lodge or vision quest.) Wish I could be there in LA for this one. Have fun!

  5. This is awesome! I’ll be there to philosophize. The postpolis event website says it starts on the 29th, geoff says 31st; which is it?

  6. You’ve done postopolis NY and LA, I think the obvious next step is in Chicago. Would be quite sweet.

    I would love to hitch-hike my unemployed self out to LA to see this. Anybody have space on a floor or couch for me to crash?

  7. Usually the Standard charges $20 to get up to the rooftop bar. Are we going to have to pay each night?

    Also – wondering if/when a schedule of speakers will be made available?

    Thanks! Really looking forward to attending.

  8. No, my understanding is that there will no cover charge – it will be free to attend. I’ll confirm this, though, and make sure to post the info again here.

    And the schedule is coming soon – it will be up this week. It’s looking great.

  9. Where are the artist,groups representing people of color on this list??? Who every put this list together does not understand the Los Angeles.

    James Rojas

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