The Basic and The Beautiful

Design by Nanao Shimizu & Dohnbi Kim – Sci-ARC Citation Award In the design below from students at OTIS, as described by one of the competition jurors, Steve Fleischli, the waste…

Design by Nanao Shimizu & Dohnbi Kim – Sci-ARC Citation Award

In the design below from students at OTIS, as described by one of the competition jurors, Steve Fleischli, the waste composting system provides numerous benefits: It does not require water, and it turns waste into a resource (i.e. compost). Liquid output from the system also can be mixed with water and used as a fertilizer to increase yields in crops such as banana, corn and tomato.

Design by Rachel Fausto, Krystal Scott, Cristina Luna, Maihoua Vang, Erin Gollocks Murray, Esther Lee – Otis Merit Award

Two terrific design-viewing opportunities today, that both in their very different ways, demonstrate the making of something very beautiful out of the basic. The first is a display of designs by students from USC, OTIS and SCI-Arc of designs for toilets in places they are needed most. The designs, resulting from a competition launched by the anti-poverty charity, Wherever The Need, will be on show today at will the Water Village during Live Earth Run for Water Los Angeles at Exposition Park (also featuring Melissa Etheridge who will perform in the Water Village). For more information visit runforwater.com.

Also, today is the last day to take the rare opportunity to visit a classic example of California Modernism. Pierre Koenig’s Bailey House in the Hollywood Hills, better known as Case Study House 21, is open from 12.00 — 4.00PM for a viewing of work by contemporary Korean artists represented by the One and J. gallery based in Seoul. The 1958 house, which sold for over three million in 2006, exemplifies the economy of space, the exploration of inside-outside living and the use of standardized industrial materials that characterized Koenig’s work. The house is at 9038 Wonderland Park Ave. in Beverly Crest, and it is recommended that you RSVP to Hope Erikson at (310) 525-0515.