As one of the recipients of the 2013 Committee on Design Knowledge Scholarship, I've just recently returned from an amazing experience in Palm Springs, CA. As a native of Los Angeles, this desert oasis (both literally and figuratively) is only a 2 hour drive away, yet seemingly a world apart. The scenic tranquility of the desert, the presence of the mountains, and a rich and unique modernist legacy made this the perfect place for the spring conference "Regional Modernism".
The closing reception at the Sunnylands Center by Fred Fisher
As an emerging practitioner and recently licensed architect it was one of my first attempts to get involved with the AIA, and absolutely my first experience with the Committee on Design. I didn't fully understand what I was getting into, nor did I fully realize what my responsibilities were as a Knowledge Scholar. Now, a full week later after spending four whirlwind days touring the desert with a clan of 100 design-savvy professionals...I can tell you this: it was truly an amazing experience on many, many different levels.
One architect taking a photo of four architects taking a photo of the Frey House overlooking the Coachella Valley.
I was able to experience and learn from the design, material, and social experimentation of the modernist movement. I was able to gain access to a carefully curated series of exceptional pieces of architecture that I would not have had access to otherwise. I was able to meet, discuss, and learn from some of the Architects that designed those same masterpieces. I was able to meet, engage and connect with a wide range of respected and now trusted colleagues within the AIA. Most of all, I was able to share those experiences with a new group of people I am proud to call my friends.
Blue skies the Horizon Hotel by William Cody
I can't fully describe just what a wonderful experience it was in a single blog post...so instead I will point you to a series of posts that I attempted to live-blog on a blog hosted by
Archinect.com. These posts attempt to document and share my observations, experiences, and photographs in a casual, conversational manner:
First impressions and first connections
A whirlwind tour through modernism and the desert
Reflections on a privileged experience
.JPG)
Learning from Krisel
These are only the first four posts, and I hope to have a few more. I definitely have more photos and experiences to share. You can continue to follow the live blog
here. You can also see a collection of photos from myself and others on instagram
here. And don't forget to check out the
tweets!
It was my first ever CoD event, but it definitely will not be the last.
#Conferences #CommitteeonDesign