ARH 375 L.A.’S URBAN MOSAIC: ARCHITECTURE, PUBLIC ART, AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

With its eclectic, original, and diverse architecture and public art, the experimental development and evolution of Los Angeles has informed, inspired, and challenged artists and other creative people for the last century. Through a series of selected readings and discussions, visual presentations, and guided site visits, the course will seek to find the duende (spirit) of the City of Angels by offering a critical analysis of chosen architectural interventions and a circumstantial understanding of iconic public art works – all within a social, political and historical backdrop. The course will also present an overview of the patchwork of diverse neighborhoods that frame the L.A. experience – an important component in understanding the conflict and resolution that is both spirit and foible of the city. Throughout the course, students will be asked to consider the interrelationships between and among the built environment, public art, architecture, and the body politic.