Shows
Life ExaminedRobert Macfarlane on nature, language, and music*This episode originally aired on July 2, 2022.
British writer Robert Macfarlane grew up loving mountains. A keen hiker, he says mountains are in his DNA – Macfarlane's father was a mountaineer and his grandfather oversaw some of the early expeditions and the first summit of Mount Everest in the 1950s.
Macfarlane’s own passion for the extremes of the mountains and the wilds of the outdoors fostered yet another interest: writing. In his first book “Mountains of the Mind,” Macfarlane explored why he fell in love with mountains and sought answers as to why so many climbers are willin...2024-07-0652 min
The BusinessNetflix’s ‘Found’: International adoption, uncovering complicated family histories in ChinaThe Netflix documentary “Found” follows three Chinese cousins, adopted as babies by very different American families. Thanks to DNA, the teen girls found each other. Then they travelled to China seeking clues about their past, and got the help of a young Chinese genealogist with her own complicated family history. Director Amanda Lipitz and producer Anita Gou tell us how their emotional film “Found” benefitted from a big helping of kismet from start to finish.2021-11-0730 min
Design and ArchitectureRoman Mars turns ‘99% Invisible’ city into a 100% visible bookRoman Mars has spent 10 years using his radio show “99% Invisible” to reveal the everyday quirks and delights of cities. Now he’s co-written a book called “The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design.” Mars talks with DnA about tales from LA, writing for print v. radio, and whether he secretly yearns to be a designer.2020-10-0825 minDesign and ArchitectureIn an age of loneliness, Treehouse offers community that’s carefully curated and designedAmericans are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. A coliving project in Hollywood was designed to remedy it. Then came a pandemic.
Ten months after its opening, DnA explores the design of Treehouse with creative director Sean Knibb, architect Jeff Soler, and reporter Adriana Cargill. Some residents also share how the project just might be what the doctor ordered at a time of extreme isolation.2020-09-2331 minDesign and ArchitectureAir conditioning becomes a weapon against infection, D.J. Waldie finds the soul in Los AngelesVentilation has become a life or death issue as as experts find that COVID-19 infections increase in poorly ventilated interiors. DnA looks into the extreme measures being taken to improve air conditioning and asks whether outside air is cheaper and healthier. D.J. Waldie has a writerly gift for divining the “sacred ordinariness” in the fabric of Los Angeles. In his new book “Becoming Los Angeles: Myth, Memory, and a Sense of Place,” Waldie reckons with himself and the region in a post-George Floyd world, while illuminating details of LA life, from telecopters to the tiles at Union Station.2020-08-2829 minDesign and ArchitectureBased on past pandemics, coronavirus will bring changes to buildings and citiesPandemics can bring about innovation, especially in design and architecture. Sam Lubell talks to DnA about changes that may come to buildings and urban design in response to COVID-19.2020-04-2318 minDesign and ArchitectureCross Colours; Fast fashion’s hidden costsRemember Cross Colours? The LA-based urban streetwear line was a hit in the early 90s, with bright, bold designs and uplifting messages about unity. Now the label is back, and the California African American Museum is celebrating with a retrospective that shows its impact on the mainstream fashion industry.
Plus, Forever 21 may not last forever. But the demand for cheap clothing has not gone away. Fashionopolis author Dana Thomas tells DnA about the human and environmental costs of fast fashion, and how we can slow it down.2020-01-2230 minDesign and ArchitectureRemembering “visual futurist” Syd Mead; hunting for vintage clothing at ThriftCon LASyd Mead envisoned vehicles, streetscapes and gadgets for Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens and many other films. He died December 30 at age 86. DnA pays tribute to this “visual futurist” who anticipated, and inspired, new technologies and the discipline of world building.
And used clothing is a hot fashion trend. But for some young shoppers, vintage means... the '90s. KCRW's Tyler Boudreaux reports from ThriftCon.2020-01-0729 minDesign and ArchitectureCan you design your way out of smartphone addiction?Your smartphone is addictive. Do you need to “Marie Kondo” your apps, put down the phone altogether, or use it as a “drug” dispensary? DnA takes a tour of hidden LA bars that ban phones, talks with a computer scientist who recommends “digital minimalism,” and meets an app entrepreneur who wants to relieve anxiety with “digital drugs.”2019-12-3130 minDesign and ArchitectureLa Brea Tar Pits; Cinderella Homes; General HospitalThe La Brea Tar Pits has a new design team that won’t uproot the mammoth family from its lake of tar. DnA talks to architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi of Weiss/Manfredi about how they plan to maintain the “thereness” and “spectacle” of the prehistoric site while making it more open and attractive to visitors.
Once upon a time, tract homes were seen as bland and boring, and then came Cinderella Homes. We’ll hear how a 1950s fantasy trend in suburban design made Southern California homeowners’ wishes come true.
Could the “Great Stone Mother” be...2019-12-1730 minDesign and ArchitectureMore housing for rich LA cities; West Coast CraftA dramatic decision by a little-known planning agency may impact how much new housing goes up in your city. The board of the Southern California Association of Governments, or SCAG, voted recently to allocate more housing in coastal, job-rich cities in Southern California rather than in rural areas. That means over 3,000 new units for Beverly Hills, which had planned to build three. DnA talks to the mayors of Culver City and Beverly Hills about their different approaches to new housing construction, and asks if car-based land-use in the Southland is coming to the end of the road.
...2019-12-0330 minDesign and ArchitectureRay Kappe; LA Auto Show colors; Le CorbuffetRay Kappe, creator of stunning homes and a highly original architecture school, has passed at age 92. DnA gives tribute to a well-lived life.
Did you know that you can learn about the fuel usage of a car by its show color? We talk to “communication color” consultant Sabine Lapine.
And, still planning your Thanksgiving meal? How about cooking something tailored for the art and design fans in your life? Esther Choi explains “Le Corbuffet.”2019-11-2630 minDesign and ArchitectureStreetlight competition; WALLSThe city of LA is launching a competition to design a new streetlight. LA's chief design officer Christopher Hawthorne tells DnA about the history of LA's streetlights, and what the city is looking for in a new streetlight.
And when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, there were only 30 walls separating nation states around the world. Now there are over 77 -- and most of those have gone up in this century. A show at the Annenberg Space for Photography explores why walls are a global phenomenon.2019-11-1930 minDesign and ArchitectureMarciano and ‘art labor’; Shortlisted!Marciano Art Foundation is closing. The news came days after visitor services associates announced their intention to unionize. DnA attends a protest outside the Wilshire museum to hear about the role of low-paid labor in the highly lucrative world of contemporary art.
Plus, more changes are coming to Museum Row, but LA-based architects aren’t getting to design them. We look at the shortlist for the La Brea Tar Pits expansion, and the role of localism in a global architecture profession.2019-11-1229 minDesign and ArchitectureCreating buzz in the city: Ian Schrager; Horton PlazaThe co-founder of Studio 54 is opening a new boutique hotel in West Hollywood. Veteran hotelier Ian Schrager talks about his colorful life and career creating spaces to attract the in-crowd. And filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer tells us about the dramatic life and civic impact of Schrager.
DnA also visits another site that was designed as a social magnet: Horton Plaza, a postmodern icon designed by the late architect Jon Jerde. But the 1985 mall has become a ghost of its former self. DnA learns what’s in store for the complex and how some San Diegans are hon...2019-11-0529 minDesign and ArchitectureBuilding housing affordably; drag through the agesGov. Gavin Newsom signed 18 bills last week to boost housing production. Does this mean the housing crisis is solved? DnA talks to Angela Brooks and Larry Scarpa about the “elephant in the room” that was left out of the bills, and their NEST 'kit-of-parts' that they believe can build affordable housing faster.
And, RuPaul has brought drag into the mainstream, but it’s hardly a new phenomenon. In his new book "Drag: The Complete Story," Simon Doonan recounts the history of cross-dressing and why it’s booming now.2019-10-1530 minDesign and ArchitectureCross Colours; Fast fashion’s hidden costsRemember Cross Colours? The LA-based urban streetwear line was a hit in the early 90s, with bright, bold designs and uplifting messages about unity. Now the label is back, and the California African American Museum is celebrating with a retrospective that shows its impact on the mainstream fashion industry.
Plus, Forever 21 may not last forever. But the demand for cheap clothing has not gone away. Fashionopolis author Dana Thomas tells DnA about the human and environmental costs of fast fashion, and how we can slow it down.2019-10-0830 minDesign and ArchitectureHuntington at 100, Notes on DecorThe Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens was established 100 years ago. But Henry Huntington’s footprint was far bigger than that. DnA looks at the man who was “probably the most important urban planner L.A. has ever had,” and at 1919, an exhibition about that turbulent year. Plus, Paul Fortune came to LA for sex and drugs and wound up with a glittering design career. He talks about “Notes on Decor, etc.”2019-09-1730 minDesign and ArchitectureClimate activism goes mainstream, from Porsche to pornWill an all-electric Porsche drive sports car lovers to embrace clean energy vehicles? Can an adult video site help clean up plastic trash in the oceans? DnA looks at the climate messaging coming from unexpected quarters, even as the White House tries to roll back environmental protections. And we meet the folks with the future in their hands: teenagers. Santa Monica High School climate activists share their thoughts on taking inspiration from Greta Thunberg, on educating adults and the need for a Green New Deal.2019-09-1030 min
Second OpinionThe impact of work-related stress on DNAPreliminary studies suggest that for at least some people high stress jobs can cause harm to DNA.2019-08-1804 minDesign and ArchitectureSelgascano in LA; The Weather MachineSpanish architecture firm Selgascano is taking over LA with brightly colored plastic and lots of plants. DnA visits their Second Home Hollywood, Serpentine Pavilion at the La Brea Tar Pits; and Sam First, a jazz club at LAX. And, forecasts are more accurate than ever. Andrew Blum says props should go to the creators of the weather prediction “machine” and explains how this global science project is now under threat just as storms are growing in size.2019-06-2530 minDesign and ArchitectureDigital billboards resurface in fight over visual blightLos Angeles is considering revising its regulations around billboards to allow more digital signs all around Los Angeles. But activists say the proposed rules would allow for Las Vegas-style digital billboards far and wide. For this episode of DnA on ATC, KCRW’s Frances Anderton talks with Larry Perel about the signs of what’s to come.2019-05-3005 minDesign and ArchitectureArt installations provide celebratory places at CoachellaDnA slaps on the sunscreen and heads to Coachella to meet the artists, designers and architects who have brought the polo fields to life with colorful large-scale art installations that pop on Instagram while creating a sense of place. Architect Francis Kéré talks about a life journey that’s taken him from a tiny village in Burkina Faso, Africa, to center stage at Coachella. Young local artist Sofia Enríquez shares her joy at designing her first installation there.2019-04-1629 minDesign and ArchitectureMake or break for LACMA redesign; Sterling Ruby on SpecterLACMA's proposed museum extension made a big leap forward this week, amidst heated arguments for and against the project. LA County Supervisors voted Tuesday to release $117.5 million towards the $650 million cost of Peter Zumthor's replacement building. LACMA director Michael Govan makes the case for an adventurous design for a creative city. And music lovers heading to Coachella will see one of the desert’s brighter blooms en route: Sterling Ruby’s vivid orange Specter. Ruby tells DnA why orange figures in so much of his art.2019-04-0930 minDesign and ArchitectureDestination Crenshaw was a Nipsey Hussle dreamFans of the rapper Nipsey Hussle are remembering his music as well as his contributions to South LA, where he was raised.
The 33-year-old was shot and killed Sunday outside The Marathon store he owned.
While many rappers leave their neighborhoods when they find success, Hussle was an entrepreneur and an activist who stuck around and invested in his community, even having a hand in creating the logo for Destination Crenshaw.
On this episode of DnA on ATC, Frances Anderton tells Eric Roy about Hussle’s commitment to the art and economy of So...2019-04-0405 minDesign and ArchitectureLACMA shrinks its Zumthor-designed expansionThere are big changes coming to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
LACMA took a step closer this past week to getting rid of four old buildings and constructing a brand-new building by a renowned Swiss architect.
On this episode of DnA on ATC, Frances Anderton tells Steve Chiotakis what the project’s reduced footprint means for LACMA’s so-called “expansion.”2019-03-2804 minDesign and ArchitectureHollywood’s long-dormant Target may finally be completedIf you have driven by the intersection of Sunset and Western over the last few years you may have noticed a yellow-wrapped, half-finished big box. It’s been dormant for so long the yellow has faded to almost white. This is the Target store that was under construction and then had to stop - because the company didn’t get the right permits for the site. On this episode of DnA on ATC, Frances Anderton tells Larry Perel that it looks like the abandoned Target may finally be completed. But what happens to “Target Husk,” the online persona who has chann...2019-03-2004 minDesign and ArchitectureDowntown dog owners; Soul of a NationAlmost every residential development in downtown aims to attract pet owners, and doggie businesses outnumber those aimed at children. We’ll hear how dogs helped bring DTLA to life and are now impacting the design of buildings. Art from the black power era comes to the Broad, bringing Kool Aid-colored paintings, assemblage, Byzantine-styled portraiture, raised fists, and a room devoted to Betye Saar. The curators tell DnA their powerful exhibition is aimed at filling the “lacunae” in people’s understanding of the visual arts in the era of civil rights and soul. 2019-03-1929 minDesign and ArchitectureLA County pushes for pet-friendly housingIf you’ve ever had to search for a place to rent, you know the phrase: “no pets allowed.” This can be a dealbreaker, especially if you’re homeless and would rather stay on the street than give up your beloved companion.
This week LA County supervisors took steps to help. But isn’t a ban on pets hard on all renters?
On this episode of DnA on ATC, Frances Anderton talks with Steve Chiotakis about how pets create a sense of home.2019-03-1304 minDesign and ArchitecturePritzker winner Arata Isozaki’s MOCA to be revamped, with water featureThe Pritzker Prize for 2019 has been awarded to Arata Isozaki, the 87-year-old Japanese architect with a career ranging from brutalist libraries to an inflatable purple concert hall. His most famous building is LA’s MOCA, or Museum of Contemporary Art, on Grand Avenue. However, the 1986 structure atop Bunker Hill, a collage of geometric forms buried mostly underground, has never been a huge hit with the public. But MOCA’s new director Klaus Biesenbach sees poetry in the design -- likening the complex to a “sunken pool” -- and promises to restore its “luminosity” and bring greenery to its arid plaza. He ev...2019-03-0605 minDesign and ArchitectureCan you design your way out of smartphone addiction?Your smartphone is addictive. Do you need to “Marie Kondo” your apps, put down the phone altogether, or use it as a “drug” dispensary? DnA takes a tour of hidden LA bars that ban phones, talks with a computer scientist who recommends “digital minimalism,” and meets an app entrepreneur who wants to relieve anxiety with “digital drugs.” 2019-03-0530 minDesign and ArchitectureMetro eyes fees on ride-hailing servicesIn a bid to raise funds for mass transit improvement, LA’s Metro board will vote tomorrow to study a range of strategies that include congestion pricing and taxing ride-hailing services. But what Metro really needs to do, many Angelenos say, is make the mass transit experience better through added security, more reliable service and urban vitality around the stations. Frances Anderton talks to KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis about Metro’s plans, on DnA on ATC.2019-02-2705 minDesign and ArchitectureFrank Gehry turns 90, Metro considers congestion pricingAngelenos hate traffic but aren't flocking to mass transit. Will congestion pricing and fees on ride-hailing services change their minds? Metro’s board is about to vote on a package of revenue-raising, congestion-reducing measures, and listeners tell DnA what would entice them onto buses and trains. Frank Gehry turns 90 on Thursday. But that’s no reason to stop working. We look back, and forward, at his career, in a conversation peppered with anecdotes and zingers.2019-02-2629 minDesign and ArchitectureIs California ready for an autobahn?High-speed rail is going off the tracks. Now state Republicans are floating the idea of an autobahn through the Central Valley. A lawmaker is proposing new lanes through the Central Valley without speed limits, arguing that it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Frances Anderton talks to KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis about the prospects for German-style high speed driving, on DnA on ATC.2019-02-2005 minDesign and ArchitectureThe costume, hair and makeup artists that make Hollywood sparkleWould Christian Bale be nominated for his portrayal of Dick Cheney without help from prosthetics? Will 3D printed crowns beat out bejeweled crowns? DnA is focusing on two crafts: hair and make-up and costume -- following a drama over the proposed, then reversed, plan to edit four of the crafts categories at Sunday's Oscar telecast. Also, a look at why the red carpet spotlight this year should fall on the men.2019-02-1929 minDesign and ArchitectureAn art bonanza in Los Angeles and beyondAs Hollywood awards season revs up, the LA art scene is also in full throttle. On DnA on ATC, Frances Anderton talks to All Things Considered host Steve Chiotakis about the launch of Desert X, a site-specific art biennial in the Coachella Valley, the debut of Frieze LA, the Southland’s first outing for the prestigious global art fair, and why art fairs and awards events coincide. 2019-02-0705 minDesign and ArchitectureVelvet Buzzsaw; USC’s architecture heist"Velvet Buzzsaw” is a new thriller that takes on the contemporary art world with blood, gore and parody. DnA talks to writer/director Dan Gilroy as well as the real-life LA artist who made the paintings that kill. And in 2012 some furnishings designed by architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Rudolph Schindler disappeared from a warehouse at USC. Now the theft has come to light. What happened?2019-02-0529 minDesign and ArchitectureEnergy use and CES, Hip Hop ArchitectureThe Consumer Electronics Show opens Tuesday in Las Vegas and there is buzz about 5G. But do we have the juice to power the increased speed and connectivity it will bring? DnA talks to net zero buildings engineer David Stillman. And hip hop has produced music, art, fashion and dance. Is it shaping architecture? Curator Sekou Cooke discusses the impact of hip hop culture on buildings.2019-01-0829 minDesign and ArchitectureHome in LA, from the tent to the gigamansionOn Christmas Day, many people will be at home with loved ones. But what kind of home exactly? A “gigamansion” in the hills where you’ll have a jellyfish room but you might not bump into your guests? Or a tent on Venice Beach, with a great location but no creature comforts or stability? In 2018, more than 50,000 people were living on the streets of Los Angeles, while others were building homes of 50,000 square feet or more. DnA looks at these two extremes in “This is Home in LA: From the Tent to the Gigamansion.”2018-12-2530 minDesign and ArchitectureTunnel vision: separating hype from reality at Elon Musk's big revealIn a city that has gone mad for tunneling, Elon Musk has managed to keep the spotlight on his Boring Company with a drip-drip of titillating news about his underground drilling project in Hawthorne. Months of wondering if this was all more talk than do were answered Tuesday when press and selected guests were invited for a big reveal. Frances Anderton shares the experience with Steve Chiotakis on DnA on ATC, and asks if Musk’s genius for geewhiz technology blinds him to other ways of thinning traffic.2018-12-1905 minDesign and ArchitectureDesign in Dubai, Mobility in LAThis week, DnA visits the UAE and finds oil. We talk to the curator of “Crude,” an art show about oil’s impact on the lives and cities of the Gulf - and the Southland. And the founder of the alternative mobility convention LA CoMotion explains why LA is the “transportation technology capital of the world.” Plus, two women creatives at Dubai Design Week talk about designing - and dressing - for their Saudi culture, while embracing change. 2018-11-2730 minDesign and ArchitectureJim Carrey’s cartoons, real estate love lettersJim Carrey is known as an actor and comedian, but in the last couple years he’s taken up political cartooning. He tells DnA about expressing his anti-Trump feelings through art. And buying a house in LA can be a competition. Can a personal letter to the seller give you a leg-up? The editor of “Dear Seller” shares stories of what prospective buyers write to land their dream house.2018-11-1330 minDesign and ArchitectureVoting rights, art and the market, Public Sculpture ArchiveDnA takes on art: in politics, money and public space. Interiors photographer William Abranowicz has a show of images marking the fight for voting rights at the Matt Blacke gallery, one of several LA museums and galleries that are encouraging voter participation. How did art become an “asset class”? Nathaniel Kahn explores the high-end art market in “The Price of Everything.” And two women try and awaken interest in LA public sculpture, by posing on it, in slinky outfits and with a great sense of humor.2018-10-2330 minDesign and ArchitectureRethinking mobility with “Flipping the Bird!” design jamLove ‘em or hate ‘em, dockless e-scooters have disrupted the cities they land in. Can "game thinking" help us think more creatively, and less reactively, about their potential? That’s the question at the heart of an event this Saturday at noon called "Flipping the Bird!" It’s a collaboration between KCRW, DnA and IndieCade, the international festival of independent games.2018-10-1005 minDesign and ArchitectureFlipping the Bird, co-buying a houseLove ‘em or hate ‘em, dockless e-scooters have upended life in some parts of the Southland. Can "game thinking" help us think more creatively and less reactively about how to integrate disruptive new mobility options into cities? And, do you want to buy a house but can't afford it? How about buying and living in a property with friends? DnA meets a group that tried co-ownership -- and loved it, despite some problematic Target lights.2018-10-0929 minDesign and ArchitectureAi Weiwei, social infrastructure, marketing luxury real estateThe Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has three shows in LA. His new work “Life Cycle” at Marciano Art Foundation explores the state of refugees. He talks to DnA about exile, his roots as an “architect” and why he enjoys visiting casinos. A sociologist argues that only “social infrastructure” will save us from environmental disaster and civic meltdown. And a real estate marketer explains why buzz matters as much as sales in the world of celebrity development.2018-10-0229 minDesign and ArchitectureGigamansions and the new Gilded AgeDnA visits The One, a "gigamansion" under construction in Bel Air with a record- breaking price tag of $500 million. And we'll compare the opulent homes of the first Gilded Age with the sleek glass boxes of what may be a new Gilded Age.2018-09-1829 minDesign and ArchitectureMegamansions, Tower of VoicesAs LA homes get smaller they are also getting bigger. Can they keep on growing? DnA explores large luxury houses, and finds out who is building them, who is buying them -- and why amenities matter. Plus, Tower of Voices in Pennsylvannia memorializes, with wind and chimes, those who went down with a fight on United Flight 93.2018-09-1130 minDesign and ArchitectureModernist homes, Hollywood veteransDnA’s series This is Home in LA continues with a look at architect-designed homes and the continuing influence of midcentury modernism. We visit a dramatic, Case Study inspired house that's ruffling feathers in South Hancock Park; and we ask if design media have turned Modernism into a homogeneous style that's dampening creativity. Jenn Swann reports on American Legion Post 43's Art Deco home in Hollywood, now being turned into a movie theater in a bid to bring in a wider audience.2018-09-0430 minDesign and ArchitectureYOLA in Inglewood, living above the storeThe LA Phil's Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (or YOLA) is getting a new home in an old bank, designed by architect Frank Gehry. What does it mean for Inglewood? And, how about living 90 seconds from Whole Foods? DnA visits Runway at Playa Vista, a "vertical mixed-use" development, and a loft above a business on Pico Boulevard, and learns about LA’s version of living over the store.2018-08-2130 minDesign and ArchitectureMetropolis: Selling the downtown high-rise dreamIs high-rise living the future of housing in downtown LA? DnA visits the Gensler-designed Metropolis tower complex to learn how the architects turned a freeway-adjacent site into sky-high luxury condos, and how its Chinese developer Greenland and Beverly Hills realtor The Agency are selling the new “downtown dream” to prospective buyers.2018-08-0729 minDesign and ArchitectureThe high cost of affordable housingAffordable housing is being really well-designed, but it’s also very expensive. At every level, designers and builders are trying to work around a Rubik's cube of obstacles. DnA looks at the challenges and possible solutions to creating housing for the formerly homeless and low-income residents of Los Angeles.2018-07-3130 minDesign and ArchitectureRethinking the box, Jonathan GoldHow do you take a generic housing type and create a very personal home? DnA visits a new apartment building in Koreatown to find out how multi-family living can be the new LA dream. And we remember LA’s beloved restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, who died Saturday. DnA recalls how Gold taught Angelenos about LA through its food, from mini-malls to Vespertine.2018-07-2429 minDesign and ArchitectureLiveaboards, Emory DouglasSick of high rents but want to be close to the ocean? Very close? DnA explores the charms and challenges of living aboard a boat, and learns about the changes coming as Marina del Rey becomes more “corporate.” And we meet Emory Douglas, “revolutionary artist” for the Black Panthers whose bold graphics still hold lessons for protest art today.2018-07-1030 minDesign and ArchitectureBackyard homes, John ParkinsonIs the solution to LA's housing crisis in our backyards? DnA visits a Highland Park couple that worked with the city on test-building an ADU, or accessory dwelling unit. Did it pencil out, and can ADUs be a new frontier for design innovation? And do you know the name of the man who built much of downtown Los Angeles? DnA speaks to the director of the first-ever documentary about architect John Parkinson.2018-07-0330 minDesign and ArchitectureTents offer a model for LA housingHow did the invention of the modern-dome tent change the story of homelessness in LA? And are they a form of "home" for their occupants? This is the first episode in a series DnA is calling “This is Home in LA: From the Tent to the Gigamansion (and everything In between).” It’s a look at house and housing archetypes in LA today, and we begin with the smallest, cheapest form of dwelling: the tent.2018-06-2630 minDesign and ArchitectureKate Spade, Santa Monica’s little secret, Ruth E. CarterWe remember fashion icon and handbag designer Kate Spade. The arrival of autonomous vehicles and online shopping has Santa Monica considering the way forward in a future disrupted by tech. Ruth E. Carter designed the costumes for "Black Panther" and tells DnA about creating an identity on screen for a community long left out of the picture.2018-06-0529 minDesign and ArchitectureBridges and Walls: The Fourth BorderThe final episode of DnA’s Bridges and Walls examines the "fourth border,” the Southland’s seashore. Undersea fiber optic cables connect the world, but why is Hermosa Beach a popular landing site for them? What price do we pay for our digital connections? And we'll consider an alternate route for traffic-weary Angeleno commuters: a ferry service between the beach towns.2018-03-2729 minDesign and ArchitectureBridges and Walls: The Future of FreewaysLos Angeles has fallen out of love with freeways. Or has it? Freeways were once liberating bridges between communities. Now they are polluting, rush-hour parking lots that form walls within LA. DnA looks at the health impact of living near freeways, a proposed new freeway in the High Desert and what freeways might look like in the future.2018-03-2029 minDesign and ArchitectureBridges and Walls: LA River, part 2The Los Angeles River in downtown is getting new bridges and parks. But with the greening of the river may come “green gentrification.” DnA tours a disused railyard that will be turned into a park, hears about dreams for changes in the Lower LA River and talks to architect Frank Gehry and other stakeholders about LA County’s updated masterplan for the entire 51 miles of flood channel.2018-03-0629 minDesign and ArchitectureBridges and Walls: The Border WallCan a wall also act as a bridge? The U.S.-Mexico border wall stretches along 700 miles. It divides two nations that are strategic allies and trading partners, and continues to divide Americans along partisan lines. It also “brings people together in really remarkable and interesting ways,” and DnA tells their stories.2018-02-0629 minDesign and ArchitectureBonaventure's architect, changing Culver CityThe Westin Bonaventure Hotel defined 1970s Los Angeles. DnA remembers its creator, John Portman. Tech and entertainment companies are descending on Culver City. We’ll hear about the big changes coming to the one-time “Heart of Screenland” -- and meet two young developers who believe in brick-and-mortar retail.2018-01-0229 minDesign and ArchitectureWedding cake, Museum of Failure, Syd MeadWe love a good success story, but we love an epic fail even more. DnA visits the Museum of Failure. We also talk to "visual futurist" Syd Mead and architect Craig Hodgetts about creating a "plausible reality." And we hear about the art of cake-making from a West Hollywood baker.2017-12-0529 minDesign and ArchitectureTunnels, planes, and art and architecture in the desertLos Angeles has tunnel vision. DnA tours the Downtown Regional Connector, as Elon Musk digs his own tunnel. United Airlines flies its last Boeing 747 flight. DnA meets nostalgic pilots and hears about what's coming next for airline passengers. Plus, Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA is not over. DnA takes a road trip to see three desert shows.2017-11-0729 minDesign and ArchitectureSmart nodes, CAFAM goes to the border, Crenshaw CowboyDnA goes to check out CAFAM’s timely show of art and architecture, The U.S.-Mexico Border: Place, Imagination, and Possibility -- and on the way encounters the installation of LA’s pilot "smart node." Will the streetlight of the future contain cameras, charging stations, speakers and sensors to detect gunshots? And we meet the homeless artist whose Los Angeles studio was a freeway on-ramp, until he was moved on.2017-09-2629 minDesign and ArchitectureSilicon Valley disrupts cities, Stacy MichelsonApple has rebranded its stores as "town squares;" a vending machine startup called Bodega caused outrage; cities are lining up to woo Amazon's HQ2. DnA looks at tech's impact on cities. Plus, artist Stacy Michelson (creator of KCRW's Good Food tote bag and picnic blanket) tells us how Japanese snack food packaging inspired her goofy illustrations.2017-09-1931 minDesign and Architecture'Columbus' muses on modernism, David Hockney turns 80The Los Angeles-based painter David Hockney turned 80 last month and his birthday is being marked with shows from London to LA's Getty Museum. Critics and Hockney talk to DnA about his enduring appeal. And the movie Columbus is set in the small town of Columbus, Ind., a mecca of modernist architecture. The filmmaker, Kogonada, explains why he placed buildings at the center of his directorial debut.2017-08-0129 minDesign and ArchitectureThe Art of Manufacturing, Apple's new headquartersWhat's one mile around, has a four-story glass door, and looks like a spaceship? DnA gets a tour of Apple's new headquarters in Cupertino. And we learn about Los Angeles' creative economy, and why LA is a hotbed for manufacturing.2017-05-2329 minDesign and ArchitectureConnected tech at CES, Battersea's futureAs everything from a hairbrush to a bikini becomes "smart," has the "Internet of Things" gone too far? DnA checks out the latest "smart" technology at CES. And we visit London's famed Battersea Power Station, where a massive high-end development anchored by Apple and a new US Embassy are revitalizing a rundown neighborhood. But some Londoners are asking, what's in it for us?2017-01-1029 minDesign and ArchitectureThe Europeans are coming! Koolhaas, Herzog & de Meuron in LASome high-profile European architects have projects in the works for the Southland and have waded into the argument about density. DnA looks at projects both spiritual and commercial from famed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his firm OMA, and we check out a mammoth mixed-use project in the Arts District by Herzog & de Meuron.2016-09-2730 minDesign and ArchitectureSanta Monica's Measure LV is being watched around the southlandThe Neighborhood Integrity Initiative is measure on the March 2017 ballot that would restrict development in Los Angeles. Folks behind NII are supporting another slow-growth ballot measure - this one in Santa Monica. DnA on ATC looks at LUVE, or Measure LV and asks what it means for downtown Santa Monica, and the region.2016-09-0805 minDesign and ArchitectureThe struggle over growth, from Santa Monica to Boyle HeightsFrom Santa Monica to Boyle Heights, residents are fighting development. Are their concerns connected? And is slowing growth the answer to maintaining affordable housing across the region? DnA reports from the most and the least affluent communities in the Southland.2016-08-3030 minDesign and ArchitecturePublic swimming pools and the "mindscape" of Los AngelesSimone Manuel's Olympic win has put a spotlight on the history and politics of access to aquatics. Swimming in America has a history of racial exclusion. DnA visited the newly-rebuilt Central Recreation Center Pool in South LA to learn what the City of Los Angeles is doing to create "access and opportunity" for all.2016-08-1805 minDesign and ArchitectureWeHo's Sunset Spectacular, Megaships and Global ShippingThe City of West Hollywood wants to make the Sunset Strip the spectacle it was back in its heyday. So it's hosting a design competition for an innovative billboard. Also, DnA boards a mega-ship at the Port of Long Beach, the largest container ship to ever dock in the US, and learns about the impact of global transportation on our infrastructure and environment.2016-05-2430 minDesign and ArchitectureWatson Mixes Drinks; Streetfight: Moses, Jacobs, Sadik-KhanIs artificial intelligence a threat to "human culture and history" or a pleasant addition to it? DnA meets Watson and considers the implications of assistance from 'cognitive computing' in our daily lives. Plus, a new opera dramatizes the epic battle between Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs, and Janette Sadik-Khan continues the fight over the streets of New York.2016-03-2230 minDesign and ArchitectureA Citi Bike Goes West; Pritzker & Obama Library; Cool CatsDnA meets the man who rode a commuter Citi Bike across the country, gets the lowdown on the Pritzker Prize winner and the Presidential Library finalists, and looks at the exotic new breed of cat magazines.2016-01-2630 minDesign and ArchitectureThe Internet of Things; Bowie's Legacy; New ObjectivityDnA goes to CES, meets Girl Scouts and tours the Internet of Things. The shock of the new, a century ago, is on show in LACMA's New Objectivity. David Bowie's death leaves a massive legacy for music, fashion and "the fluidity" of today's world.2016-01-1230 minDesign and ArchitectureThe Metropolis ConsideredDnA reflects on what mattered in design and architecture in Los Angeles this year; the Chicago Biennial shows that big change can happen at a small scale; Gideon Brower finds that maintaining a city is a challenge, even when it's a model.2015-12-2229 min
KCRW: DnAMobile Village: Kitchen Brings Nutrition and Good Design To Foster KidsSo often architecture is associated with high price custom homes and fancy institutional buildings.
But many designers are also helping shape the city with pro bono work for nonprofits in less affluent neighborhoods. One in the news recently is the Campus For At-Risk Children in Watts being designed by Frank Gehry.
And unveiled Saturday – with a celebratory Thanksgiving meal — is Mobile Village: Kitchen, designed by LA architect Deborah Richmond for Peace4Kids, a nonprofit for foster kids located at Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club in South LA.
KCRW's Frances Anderton and Steve Chiotakis discussed the project and its ambitious goal2015-11-2704 minKCRW: DnARecyclingRecycling by KCRW: DnA2015-10-1410 minKCRW: DnAMars CityMars City by KCRW: DnA2015-10-1406 minKCRW: DnABus BenchesBus Benches by KCRW: DnA2015-10-1408 minKCRW: DnAWhole Foods 365Whole Foods 365 by KCRW: DnA2015-09-2305 minKCRW: DnAMuseumsMuseums by KCRW: DnA2015-09-2312 minKCRW: DnAClifton's CafeteriaClifton's Cafeteria by KCRW: DnA2015-09-2303 minKCRW: DnADNA Opulent MobilityDNA Opulent Mobility by KCRW: DnA2015-09-0806 minKCRW: DnADNA SchlossDNA Schloss by KCRW: DnA2015-09-0810 minKCRW: DnADNA Frank Gehry and Eli BroadDNA Frank Gehry and Eli Broad by KCRW: DnA2015-09-0809 minKCRW: DnAOlympicsOlympics by KCRW: DnA2015-08-2609 minKCRW: DnAShelterShelter by KCRW: DnA2015-08-2610 minKCRW: DnADismalandDismaland by KCRW: DnA2015-08-2607 minKCRW: DnADoes Frank Gehry Have the Answers for the LA River?Does Frank Gehry Have the Answers for the LA River? by KCRW: DnA2015-08-1129 minKCRW: DnADoes Germany Have the Answer to Affordable Living?Berliners are facing many of the same challenges as Angelenos in terms of affordable living space, as well as coming to grips with changing family structure; but, they have come up with an intriguing solution. Baugruppen, meaning building groups, are cohousing communities where you choose who you want to live alongside and then split the costs of development.
We visited a Baugruppe complex in Berlin called R50 designed by architecture firms Heide & Von Beckerath and IFAU. Co-principals Christoph Schmidt and Verena von Beckerath explained the process of designing and building collaboratively -- for 19 households.
DnA spoke also spoke with art...2015-07-2920 minKCRW: DnAGerman Board Game Designers Find Fun in the Pool and the Cold WarWhile in Berlin, DnA’s producer Caroline Chamberlain visited the world’s first board game cafe called Spielwiese. She met with the designers of some games dealing with some very German challenges.
“Cool am Pool” is a board game coming soon by Hartwig Jakubik that has players compete over the best places by the pool. Caroline learns how it works and whether it is rooted in a German vacation tradition.
25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, fictionalizing the Cold War in pop culture is on the rise with the TV shows “The Americans” and “Deutschland 83.” And now a two-player board...2015-07-2907 minDesign and ArchitectureDnA Goes to Berlin; Can California's Water Crisis Be a Game?As DnA heads to Berlin, Cameron Silver sings songs of longing for the Weimar era; and we visit the Culver City bunker that will house the Wende Museum. Plus, Caroline Chamberlain "plays" the California Water Crisis.2015-06-2330 minKCRW: DnAHollyhock House Reopens FridayFrank Lloyd Wright’s first L.A. commission, the Hollyhock House, opens once more to the public after a lengthy restoration. Alan Hess, an architect and preservationist who has written five books on Frank Lloyd Wright, talks about why he can’t wait for the building’s opening and what we can learn from Frank Lloyd Wright today.2015-02-1003 minKCRW: DnAEverything Talks: Who Killed the Plastic Bag?Everything Talks let us know what our objects really think. In this episode Tom Saunders channels a paper and a Wholefoods reusable bag bickering over who killed the plastic bag. Shockingly, however, "plasty" makes a comeback.2014-07-0302 minKCRW: DnAPlastic Bags Ban Angers Huntington Beach ResidentsHuntington Beach approved a reusable bag ordinance last month. Channel 2 reports, while many agree with the goal to cut down on the 123 thousand tons of discarded plastic bags in the state every year, a lot of residents in HB are hot under the collar that the ban wasn’t put on the ballot. They say if the city is worried about the beaches, they should be banning diapers, fast food containers, water bottles and cans.2014-04-2200 minThe BusinessBlockbusting; Blowing Off ‘Hurt Locker’A hefty new book conceived by director George Lucas examines the DNA of 300 American blockbusters. We examine how the book was made and what we can learn from it. Plus, how far will you go to become a successful screenwriter? The Hurt Locker's Mark Boal went to Iraq.2010-02-1529 minDesign and ArchitectureAn LA Landmark Gets a FaceliftFrances Anderton
talks to the architects of the Griffith Observatory redesign. Plus, a discussion about the fashion shows at
MOCA and LACMA, and actor Peter Weller talks about his favorite building.For calendar information, email dna@kcrw.org, and put "CALENDAR" in subject line.2006-10-1729 min