Author Archives: Russell Thomsen
ReDensification
Affordable Housing Valle Dorado San Juan Del Rio Querétaro México The existing, single story detached houses in Valle Dorado have failed. A lack of community amongst the residents has deprived them of the support structures that contribute to the quality
ReDensification
Affordable Housing Valle Dorado San Juan Del Rio Querétaro México The existing, single story detached houses in Valle Dorado have failed. A lack of community amongst the residents has deprived them of the support structures that contribute to the quality
APAN
Social Housing Querétaro, México Social housing is again one of the most urgent issues of our time for our communities, for our governments and for architecture. Perhaps not since post-war Europe has the need for social housing been so urgent.
APAN
Social Housing Querétaro, México Social housing is again one of the most urgent issues of our time for our communities, for our governments and for architecture. Perhaps not since post-war Europe has the need for social housing been so urgent.
Saitama Residence
Private Residence Saitama, Japan The forms and organizations of the urban single-family house (along with a variety of other building types) have been driven toward extreme versions of efficiency by an ever-increasing metropolitan density. In a city like Tokyo, increasing
Saitama Residence
Private Residence Saitama, Japan The forms and organizations of the urban single-family house (along with a variety of other building types) have been driven toward extreme versions of efficiency by an ever-increasing metropolitan density. In a city like Tokyo, increasing
West Los Angeles College
Student Service Annex West Los Angeles College, California West Los Angeles College is a medium-sized community college located adjacent to Culver City on the west side of Los Angeles. The institution is currently undergoing an expansion and rennovation of it
West Los Angeles College
Student Service Annex West Los Angeles College, California West Los Angeles College is a medium-sized community college located adjacent to Culver City on the west side of Los Angeles. The institution is currently undergoing an expansion and rennovation of it
Brix Restaurant
Brix Restaurant Los Angeles, California 1992 The site of the Brix restaurant in Venice, California can be characterized as a cacophony of visual and sonic interference. The primary design response was to insert a ‘pause’ into this hyperactive strip landscape
Brix Restaurant
Brix Restaurant Los Angeles, California 1992 The site of the Brix restaurant in Venice, California can be characterized as a cacophony of visual and sonic interference. The primary design response was to insert a ‘pause’ into this hyperactive strip landscape
Brentwood Residence
Brentwood Residence Los Angeles, California An existing single-family residence located in Brentwood just below the Getty Center in Los Angeles underwent major remodeling. The owner wanted the house to be open, light filled and strongly connected to the pool
Brentwood Residence
Brentwood Residence Los Angeles, California An existing single-family residence located in Brentwood just below the Getty Center in Los Angeles underwent major remodeling. The owner wanted the house to be open, light filled and strongly connected to the pool
Newfield Residence
Private Residence Newfield, New York Located on fourteen undeveloped acres of dense forest in upstate New York, a small house for a couple is carefully positioned in the landscape to take advantage of extensive views, sunlight and nature. The owner
Newfield Residence
Private Residence Newfield, New York Located on fourteen undeveloped acres of dense forest in upstate New York, a small house for a couple is carefully positioned in the landscape to take advantage of extensive views, sunlight and nature. The owner
Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Los Angeles Philharmonic Donor Recognition Signage Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California We worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association to design a number of site-specific installations in both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Los Angeles Philharmonic Donor Recognition Signage Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California We worked with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association to design a number of site-specific installations in both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Bauhaus Museum
Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Germany At the center of Dessau, blocks away from the original Gropius building, the Bauhaus Museum proposes to house the collections of its namesake institute in a muted memorial. It is not an homage, and not indiscriminately
Bauhaus Museum
Bauhaus Museum Dessau, Germany At the center of Dessau, blocks away from the original Gropius building, the Bauhaus Museum proposes to house the collections of its namesake institute in a muted memorial. It is not an homage, and not indiscriminately
Guggenheim Museum Helsinki
The Guggenheim Museum Helsinki, Finland The cultural and architectural ambitions of the Guggenheim Foundation have become synonymous. The Global Art Initiative reflects a desire to make the institution not only global in scope but at the forefront of art and
Guggenheim Museum Helsinki
The Guggenheim Museum Helsinki, Finland The cultural and architectural ambitions of the Guggenheim Foundation have become synonymous. The Global Art Initiative reflects a desire to make the institution not only global in scope but at the forefront of art and
Pasadena Residence
Private Residence Pasadena, California A new three-bedroom house was built on an empty lot in an existing, older neighborhood in Pasadena. Located at the crown of a ridge, the front edge of the lot was seven feet above the street,
Pasadena Residence
Private Residence Pasadena, California A new three-bedroom house was built on an empty lot in an existing, older neighborhood in Pasadena. Located at the crown of a ridge, the front edge of the lot was seven feet above the street,
Elysian Park Residence
Private Residence and Guesthouse Los Angeles, California The Elysian Park residence is located at the top of the hills adjacent to the park and Dodger Stadium. Situated at the border between the vast open space of the park and the surrounding
Elysian Park Residence
Private Residence and Guesthouse Los Angeles, California The Elysian Park residence is located at the top of the hills adjacent to the park and Dodger Stadium. Situated at the border between the vast open space of the park and the surrounding
Sukkah City
The Maintenance of Fragility Our Sukkah is conceived as one of many; the many already realized, the many yet to exist. Disciplined by Rabbinical Law, Diasporic Judaism has produced a universe of Sukkahs, an incomplete, wandering community of
Sukkah City
The Maintenance of Fragility Our Sukkah is conceived as one of many; the many already realized, the many yet to exist. Disciplined by Rabbinical Law, Diasporic Judaism has produced a universe of Sukkahs, an incomplete, wandering community of
Encino Residence
Private Residence Encino, California The clients had two requests: make an addition to their existing 800 square foot house that approximated an aircraft hanger, and kill the sun but not the light. Located in a post-war housing tract in the San
Encino Residence
Private Residence Encino, California The clients had two requests: make an addition to their existing 800 square foot house that approximated an aircraft hanger, and kill the sun but not the light. Located in a post-war housing tract in the San
West Hollywood Residence
Guest House West Hollywood, California The first phase of a new residential ensemble, the guest house and pool established a strategy for dealing with an unconventionally large, oasis like site situated along a busy thoroughfare in West Hollywood. The guest house defines the
West Hollywood Residence
Guest House West Hollywood, California The first phase of a new residential ensemble, the guest house and pool established a strategy for dealing with an unconventionally large, oasis like site situated along a busy thoroughfare in West Hollywood. The guest house defines the
La Opinion Offices
La Opinion Offices and Printing Facility Los Angeles Sparked by a strong interest in the dynamic urbanism of Los Angeles, the La Opinion Headquarters examines the Broadway corridor as a site in the downtown core. This linear slot of Manhattan-like urbanism
La Opinion Offices
La Opinion Offices and Printing Facility Los Angeles Sparked by a strong interest in the dynamic urbanism of Los Angeles, the La Opinion Headquarters examines the Broadway corridor as a site in the downtown core. This linear slot of Manhattan-like urbanism
Mackey Apartments
Renovation of the Mackey Apartments Los Angeles Rather than statically preserving this historic building as a singular memory of its past life, our intention for the renovation of the Mackey Apartments (R.M. Schindler, 1939) embraces the concept of preservation through
Mackey Apartments
Renovation of the Mackey Apartments Los Angeles Rather than statically preserving this historic building as a singular memory of its past life, our intention for the renovation of the Mackey Apartments (R.M. Schindler, 1939) embraces the concept of preservation through
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz Los Angeles, California How can the disappearing evidence of the Holocaust remain vital without resorting to framing it as a museum, a cemetery or an inelastic memorial? Over sixty years after its liberation, the
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz Los Angeles, California How can the disappearing evidence of the Holocaust remain vital without resorting to framing it as a museum, a cemetery or an inelastic memorial? Over sixty years after its liberation, the
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz
“Is it because the Holocaust will always go beyond the limits of representation? Is it because the Holocaust seems to stand outside narratable and representable history, so that the monuments commemorating it are reduced to the status of mere signs,
Thinking the Future of Auschwitz
“Is it because the Holocaust will always go beyond the limits of representation? Is it because the Holocaust seems to stand outside narratable and representable history, so that the monuments commemorating it are reduced to the status of mere signs,
Withheld: A Reflection on Auschwitz
“Even after you’ve seen the whole goddamn thing, it remains utterly incomprehensible.” Dr. Michael Berenbaum, on the drive back to Krakow from the camps at Auschwitz. To walk through Auschwitz-Birkenau is to search for everything that is missing. It is
Withheld: A Reflection on Auschwitz
“Even after you’ve seen the whole goddamn thing, it remains utterly incomprehensible.” Dr. Michael Berenbaum, on the drive back to Krakow from the camps at Auschwitz. To walk through Auschwitz-Birkenau is to search for everything that is missing. It is
A Room for London
A Room for London: Olympic Year 2012 It is said that the weather in London leaves something to be desired, but this seems unimaginative. Upon close inspection all manner of nuanced weathers pass over the rooftops of the city, especially
A Room for London
A Room for London: Olympic Year 2012 It is said that the weather in London leaves something to be desired, but this seems unimaginative. Upon close inspection all manner of nuanced weathers pass over the rooftops of the city, especially
Stentorian
Stentorian Southern California Institute of Architecture We were invited to make a site-specific installation as part of the ongoing exhibition series at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). Entitled, “Stentorian,” the installation explored the opportunity to bring together a
Stentorian
Stentorian Southern California Institute of Architecture We were invited to make a site-specific installation as part of the ongoing exhibition series at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). Entitled, “Stentorian,” the installation explored the opportunity to bring together a
Death by Rock n’ Roll
Death By Rock n’ Roll The Architect and the Urn Exhibition at the Lundgren Gallery Seattle, Washington Rock and Roll culture has always had an uncanny relationship with death. The death of a rock star creates a cult(ure), marking an
Death by Rock n’ Roll
Death By Rock n’ Roll The Architect and the Urn Exhibition at the Lundgren Gallery Seattle, Washington Rock and Roll culture has always had an uncanny relationship with death. The death of a rock star creates a cult(ure), marking an
Dwell Home
Dwell Home Invitational North Carolina Throughout the history of modern architecture, mass production, mass customization, and prefabrication have been explored as answers to the problem of affordable housing. As a closed system of logic, the result was either an end
Dwell Home
Dwell Home Invitational North Carolina Throughout the history of modern architecture, mass production, mass customization, and prefabrication have been explored as answers to the problem of affordable housing. As a closed system of logic, the result was either an end
New Queens Museum of Art
New Queens Museum of Art Queens, New York As contributors to the contents of culture, how can a museum be both a conservator and an innovator? The conceptual approach to the New Queens Museum of Art constructs a set of
New Queens Museum of Art
New Queens Museum of Art Queens, New York As contributors to the contents of culture, how can a museum be both a conservator and an innovator? The conceptual approach to the New Queens Museum of Art constructs a set of
Scenario City
Scenario City Exhibition, Los Angeles, California 2000 > 2020 What is Scenario Planning ? “The future is too important to be ignored….Instead of forecasting, scenarios are a set of ‘stories’ about alternative possible futures. These stories promote a discussion of
Scenario City
Scenario City Exhibition, Los Angeles, California 2000 > 2020 What is Scenario Planning ? “The future is too important to be ignored….Instead of forecasting, scenarios are a set of ‘stories’ about alternative possible futures. These stories promote a discussion of
Recombinant Images in Los Angeles
The Collapse of Experience The historical precedent for recombinance is found in the twentieth century avant-garde. For the avant-garde, the metropolis served as the raw material and specific site where instantaneous and radiating events set up the possibility for a
Recombinant Images in Los Angeles
The Collapse of Experience The historical precedent for recombinance is found in the twentieth century avant-garde. For the avant-garde, the metropolis served as the raw material and specific site where instantaneous and radiating events set up the possibility for a