Our Position at Urban Operations and its research division Urbanops.org, is that in order to foster a diverse method of practice, one must also teach. The office is active in several local instutions where John Southern participates in academic discussions as a visiting critic. In addition, John teaches both design and theory at Woodbury University. It is the intent of Urbanops.org to begin showcasing the students work as part of a larger dialogue on the topics of research + practice. In the coming months this section of our site will also feature John's writing, which represents the beginnings of a body of work entitled Architecture and Style in the Digital Void: aesthetics + practice in the 21st Century.
Toy Icon: Independent Study Seminar on Urban Identity. Woodbury University 2006.
Students: Michael Manalo + Vincent Akuin
Michael and Vincent are currently developing a study that seeks to critique the contemporary city and the individuals position as a cultural node within the larger urban geography of Los Angeles. How can one map localities within the metropolitan environment using the casual inhabitant as a vehicle? Their study is a 14 week intensive research project which will be featured on this site in it's totality once complete.
For a day-to-day update on their project you may check out their Blog which documents the process.
