January 27 > Expo Line Tour > Meet at 7th and Metro Station

The Expo Line opened last year, dramatically expanding LA's rail network, reaching into neighborhoods underserved by transit, and forming the first phase of what will eventually be a light-rail-to-the-sea (finally!). But the Expo Line's distinctive shimmering canopies also represent a turning point for the city's transit system—the Expo Line was the first Metro line to introduce a universal station design which highlights its impressive public art program.

On Sunday, January 27, we're climbing aboard the Expo Line with Roland Genick from Parsons, who will talk about the station design, Heidi Zeller, Metro's Senior Creative Services Officer, who will give an overview of the line's art program, plus two station artists, Jessica McCoy (Expo/Vermont Station) and Ronald Llanos (Expo/Western Station), who will share their experiences in creating neighborhood-appropriate art for the stations.

Expo Line Tour
Sunday, January 27
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Meet at the Expo Line platform at the 7th and Metro Station

12:45 p.m. Meet on the Expo Line platform of the 7th and Metro Station in downtown LA (map below)
1:00 p.m. Tour departs promptly at 1:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. Tour ends at the Culver City Station, for those who would like to join us for post-tour snacks, we'll ride the Expo Line back to Mercado la Paloma (Expo Park/USC Station) where there are plenty of restaurants to choose from

Free, but please RSVP so we can get a headcount.

RSVP here!

If you don't have a TAP card, you'll need to buy a Metro Day Pass for $5, which you can do as you enter the 7th and Metro Station.


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We Want to Hear From You! Take Our Survey, Please!

We want to get to know you better! 

Once again, we're asking for your feedback so we can continue to plan bigger and better events that meet the needs of LA's design-minded community. We've put together this short survey to help us understand who are, what you want and how we can make de LaB even better in 2013. The survey shouldn't take more than five minutes, and by taking the survey you get a chance to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming home tour!

Go here to take our survey!

We'll always accept your ideas, but the deadline to be entered in the home tour drawing is February 15!

See you in 2013!

Thank You for Another Amazing Year! Here's What We Did in 2012

We've already said goodbye to 2012, but wanted to take a few moments to say thank you for all your love and support. This was a pretty big year for us, as we officially became a non-profit! In 2012, we also continued our schedule of hosting about two events every month, seeking out the most interesting, innovative and inventive design across this great city. And we hosted our very first home tour in Echo Park and a tour of LA's old subway tunnels, events we hope to repeat this year. We're so grateful for this community and can't wait to see what 2013 brings! 

Here are some of our favorite people, places and things we saw this year...

• We started the year surrounded by the words and products of the Eames. We also toured the landmark Hollywood Tower and visited the historic Best Western across the street, after both had a little work done—just like any other Hollywood beauty. 
• In February we headed way east again, to Palm Springs for Modernism Week for a curator-led tour of Backyard Oasis at the Palm Springs Art Museum. 
• In March, we hosted our inaugural home tour, a look at four homes in Echo Park that exemplified efficient infill for the neighborhood. We also took a tour of Burbank's DWP EcoCampus to see innovative drylands design. 
• In April (due to high demand from 2011) we again visited George Ehling's amazing self-made Tile House in the Hollywood Hills for Obscura Day, and visited Sunset Triangle Park, LA's first street-to-plaza conversion, in Silver Lake. 
• In May we gathered in Little Tokyo's iconic Noguchi Plaza, which had been transformed for LA's Bloom Festival. We also ventured underground—literally!—for a tour of LA's abandoned subway tunnels. And yes, we'd like to host another tour but these things take time to plan...patience, friends! 
• In June we held our fourth annual Design-n-Dim Sum bike ride, this time with a stop at Caine's Arcade, and participated in LA's second annual Design Week.
• In July we partnered once again with the LA Forum to support the opening of Unfinished Business, (which features one of our projects, John Chase's West Hollywood Map) and also partnered with our friends at the Noun Project for an LA River-themed Iconathon. 
• In August we saw the future of LA's unused alleyways, in the remarkable transformation of East Cahuenga's alley in Hollywood and visited LA's first distillery since Prohibition in downtown LA at Greenbar Collective. 
• In September we once again celebrated Park[ing] Day, this time with the incredible park designed by recent Art Center grads The Rare Studio in front of LOCAL. We also were the first group to tour Highland Ave's recent transformation as it evolves beyond post-production and prostitution to becoming LA's next art epicenter with visits to Perry Rubenstein and Redling Fine Art. 
• We love planning Halloween-themed events! This year we learned the fine art of silkscreen printing at Frogtown's NOMAD Studio to make masks on old vinyl records. Did we also mention we attended the AIA|LA Awards (with fellow architecture enthusiast Moby) and were honored to present the Next LA Awards? 
• In November we hosted another workshop, this time at Lala Press for an exclusive letterpress class. 
• And in December we ventured into Skid Row for a tour with Michael Maltzan, Skid Row Housing Trust and several resident ambassadors of supportive housing project, New Carver Apartments. We also wrapped up the year with some holiday cheer, making our own lasercut snowflake mobiles with our friends at Knowhow Shop and 2ndwnd.  

And we can't wait to start planning 2013, starting with a tour of the newly opened Expo Line! Stay tuned for details on that and many other exciting events coming this year. 

Thank you again for a great 2012!

December Recap > Laser-Cut Snowflakes at KnowHow with 2ndwnd

On a seasonally appropriate grey Saturday in December, about 50 de LaBbers met at the KnowHow Shop in Highland Park to make holiday mobiles with real snow—that is, laser-cut chipboard snowflakes.

After getting an introduction to the space from the KnowHow team, we met Manny Torres of 2ndwnd, who led our mobile-making workshop.

Attendees gathered around the laser cutter as our man Manny supervised the cutting of hundreds of snowflakes.

Manny designed two snowflake patterns for us.

As the smell of burning chipboard filled the air, attendees got to work building their mobiles from dowels or branches they'd foraged from the forest.

Then we headed outside to spray paint our snowflakes in white or glittery silver.

Some couldn't resist adding even more sparkle. (KnowHow, we're very sorry that we covered your manly space with glitter.)

The finished products were stunning! We loved watching everyone carry their mobiles like marionettes, with graphic snowflakes dancing through space.

We hope the mobiles added a little DIY cheer to your homes during the holiday season.

Or at the very least they served as entertainment for the whole family! Thanks to KnowHow and 2ndwnd for hosting us and thanks to everyone who attended. You can see lots more images on our Facebook page.

December 16 > Laser-Cut Snowflakes and de LaB Holiday Party at KnowHow Shop with 2ndwnd > Highland Park

Our holiday seasons might be merry and bright, but L.A. is always a little bit lacking in the "white" department. So we're headed back to Highland Park to see our good friends at KnowHow Shop and 2ndwnd, who are skilled in the ways of making snow—that is, laser-cut snowflakes!

We'll gather 'round the laser-cutter on Sunday, December 16 where you'll create your very own one-of-a-kind chipboard flakes, apply paint and glitter to your heart's content, and string them up into a special snowfall mobile to hang in your home or give as a gift. Updated: An image of the prototyped mobile is above!

And of course, since we're all about feeling festive, we'll be supplying treats and beverages to help keep the elves in the holiday spirit. Feel free to bring your own contributions if you've got any seasonal goodies around the house!

Laser-Cut Snowflakes and de LaB Holiday Party at KnowHow Shop with 2ndwnd
Sunday, December 16
12:00 to 4:00 p.m.

KnowHow Shop
6019 Echo St.
Los Angeles, CA 90042

Tickets are $15 each and cover the cost of materials for one mobile plus holiday drinks and snacks. Children are welcome if accompanied by a parent, and if you plan to only make one mobile together you only need to buy one ticket.

BUY TICKETS HERE

Tickets are limited due to availability of materials and no refunds will be given less than 24 hours before the event. That said, if you don't want to make a mobile and just want to come hang out and enjoy some DIY cheer, please do! Thanks!


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December 8 > New Carver Apts Tour with Michael Maltzan > Skid Row, DTLA

Photo courtesy of Alissa Walker

Since its opening in 2010, New Carver Apartments near the 10 Freeway in downtown LA has been showing Angelenos how architecture can deftly bridge great design and social responsibility. Designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture, the 97-unit supportive housing project commissioned by Skid Row Housing Trust serves the need of a chronically underserved population - LA's homeless.

Praising the building's architectural sophistication, the NY Times said:

The building not only manages to provide a feeling of security while easing the crippling sense of isolation that can often afflict the homeless; it also makes visible, through its strong architectural form, a group of people that many in our society would often prefer to ignore.

Join us on December 8th for a tour of the cylindrical structure with Michael Maltzan, Skid Row Housing Trust's Theresa Hwang, and one of the resident ambassadors to talk about day-to-day living in New Carver. 

Photo by Iwan Baan

When: Saturday, December 8th 2pm - 4pm

Cost: $20, all proceeds will be split between de LaB and SRHT

Where: New Carver Apartments, 325 West 17th Street  Los Angeles, CA 90015

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.

**Tickets will not be available at the door, so please buy your ticket early, as space is extremely limited. No refunds will be given less than 24 hours before the event. Thanks!

Read more about Michael Maltzan and Theresa Hwang:

Michael Maltzan

Michael Maltzan, FAIA, is the founder and principal of Michael Maltzan Architecture, Inc. His work fully engages our contemporary world through an architecture that is a catalyst for new experiences and an agent for change. Through a deep belief in architecture’s role in our cities and landscapes, he has succeeded in creating new cultural and social connections across a range of scales and programs.

Mr. Maltzan received a Master of Architecture degree with a Letter of Distinction from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, where he received the Henry Adams AIA Scholastic Gold Medal. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a GSA Design Excellence Program Peer.

He lectures internationally, and often serves as a design instructor, lecturer, or critic at prestigious architectural schools including Princeton University, Rice University, Harvard University, Rhode Island School of Design, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, University of Southern California, University of Waterloo, and the Southern California Institute of Architecture.


Theresa Hwang

Theresa Hwang is a community-driven architect with the Skid Row Housing Trust in Los Angeles, CA.  From 2009-2012, she was the Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow at the organization.  With the Trust, she is developing and designing high quality and sustainable permanent supportive housing for the homeless.  The Trust has developed 24 buildings and has created over 1400 affordable homes for the very low income homeless population in the Skid Row community. In addition to developing affordable housing, Theresa is an adjunct studio professor and a faculty member of the Architecture + Civic Engagement Center at Woodbury University.  

Activist-turned-architect, Theresa has spent almost 10 years doing community-organizing work for equitable cultural development and community empowerment with multiple groups and campaigns in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles.   She received her Master of Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Art History from the Johns Hopkins University.



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November Recap > Letterpress Workshop with Lala Press > Silver Lake

On November 18th, Mable Lee of Lala Press graciously opened up her awesome Silver Lake studio to us for a morning of good old fashioned fun with letterpress. 

After a brief demo on how to use the presses (Mable works on vintage Vandercooks), our crew got a crash course in holiday card marking.

But not before we learned how to properly ink the press. 

Mable gave us full access to her existing wood and metal type set, which was mesmerizing all on its own.

Though it did take some patience (and often a mirror) to figure out our messages.

Here's a sneak peek of some of our holiday creations!  

If you were bummed that you couldn't attend this workshop (we know, we know and we're sorry), please keep in mind that Mable offers several workshops throughout the year, as well as private one-on-one instruction. 

Thank you, Mable!