The Urban Land Institute LA’s inaugural LARC (Los Angeles Real Creativity) Awards was not your average design show. Mistress of ceremonies Frances Anderton, the host of KCRW’s “Design and Architecture,” set a light tone that discouraged back slapping and the stodgy speeches that often accompany such congratulatory musings. As dinner was served by Wolfgang Puck, guests seated at tables in the lobby of Wayne Ratkovich’s recently renovated William Pereira building at 5900 Wilshire were treated to a crash course in some of LA’s most innovative projects. And the winners were:
In the Design Category, recognizing projects still in the conceptual stage, the Hollywood Cap Park took the award (which, by the way, was a Tiffany Frank Gehry designed paper weight). Conceived 25 years ago and recently revived, a 44-acre park would “cap” the 101 Freeway from Bronson Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard.
The Place Award, honoring completed buildings that have “world-changing” potential, went to the Academy of Entertainment Technology, the media campus of Santa Monica College and home to KCRW which is being designed by Clive Wilkinson Architects.
YOLA – Los Angeles Philharmonic/Gustavo Dudamel won the Enterprise award in the community or social program category for its work building youth orchestras in undeserved communities.
And the Big Idea award recognizing a “game-changer” went to the Imagine Mars Project initiated by JPL/NASA, which combines science, engineering and art to help children learn how to create design solutions by imagining what kind of community they would build on Mars.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Design:
East Cahuenga Corridor Alley
Place:
Bert Green Fine Art for the Downtown L.A. Art Walk
Maltman Bungalows
New Carver Apartments (Michael Maltzman Architecture)
Enterprise
The Community of Mar Vista
Wilson Meany Sullivan, LLP for Hollywood Park Tomorrow
Idea
–STACIE STUKIN
