Story & Photography by Jason McDowell (@cessnateur)
The 1980s were a fun time. The decade brought forth a frenzy
of computerization and a wild enthusiasm for technology of all types. The Star
Wars franchise was in full…
1. Disney Concert Hall
It is impossible to speak of contemporary architecture in Los Angeles without talking about Frank Gehry’s masterpiece, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Even now, years after its…
Exploring Earth-based Construction Methods
When we think of architecture, we often think of huge glass and steel structures or conventional homes with wooden frames. While these are the most common type of structures built…
Living in Southern California, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the motion picture industry. It’s everywhere. From the little yellow and black corrugated plastic signs denoting the location of shoots, to street closures for filming, to…
Trying to buy speakers is tough. Like anything stereo related (Part 1: Turntables and Part 2: Integrated Amplifiers), the experience of listening to a piece of music through a pair of speakers is entirely dependent…
In our first installment of V3llum's Guide to Home Stereo we covered turntables, but they’re just the first link in a chain of equipment that ends with music coming out of your speakers. This article…
Ever since the announcement of the cassette tape in the 1980s or the 8-track before it, people have predicting the end of the vinyl record. Why wouldn’t they? The record album is impractical, it’s huge…
An Afternoon In John Lautner's Masterpiece
Los Angeles has always been something of a Mecca to those of us who truly love modern architecture. The mild climate, accumulated wealth, and preference for single-family homes…
Blackbirds by Barbara Bestor and LocalConstruct
For over a century now, Los Angeles’ solution to the problem of perpetual population influx has been to expand outward. The city has swollen and engulfed smaller communities…
By Rob Corder/Rocor ("Charles and Ray Eames; Leg splint, c.1942. Molded plywood. LA County Museum") [CC BY-NC 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)], via Flickr
The Medical Device That Changed Design Forever
Almost anyone who has even a passing…