The LAist Interview: Kimberli Meyer, MAK Center for Art and Architecture

Why does the work of Rudolph Schindler resonate now more than ever?

Schindler was the master of responding to small, difficult sites and tight budgets. His work directly accounts for the needs of the human at home, and for the conditions of light and view on the site. His houses, though often small, somehow have a generous feel, because the everyday acts of the user have been considered in relation to the site.

In our current age of ignorant excess, I think it means a lot to find intelligent, sensuous design achieved through modest means.

How is the mission and work of the MAK Center unique compared to other foundations that are dedicated to maintaining the legacy of legendary architects (Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Isamu Noguchi Foundation, Fundació Mies van der Rohe, etc.)?

I can't speak about these other foundations because I am not familiar enough with their activities.

The MAK Center for Art and Architecture is a contemporary, experimental, multi-disciplinary center for art and architecture that operates from architect Rudolph M. Schindler's own House and Studio (built in1922) in West Hollywood. Its mission is to continue the conversation initiated by Schindler by creating programming that explores the shifting intersections of art, architecture, and culture.

We offer a year-round schedule of exhibitions, lectures, performances, and publications, and host an international residency program for visiting artists and architects at the Mackey Apartment Building (R. M. Schindler, 1939). We are as committed to contemporary thought as we are to the preservation of Schindler's legacy.

One unique aspect of the MAK Center is its organizational structure: it is the result of an alliance between the Republic of Austria via the MAK (Museum for Applied Arts/ Contemporary Arts) in Vienna and the non-profit LA organization Friends of the Schindler House.

Which homes featured on the upcoming MAK architecture tour might of particular super special interest to the general public?

It' hard to pick one - the combination will be very interesting. The afternoon sites are very close to one another, so it will be fun to go from the Yates Studio which is an addition/transformation to a bungalow by Schindler, to Silvertop, the expansive, sexy Lautner that reigns on top of the hill, to the unchanged-since-its-construction Schessinger House, Schindler's last commission.

Capping the day in Sherman Oaks at the Wolff House will mark the first time the house has been open to the public since completing a painstaking renovation in 2004. The owner and architect of this Schindler followed the original plans, renovating and updating the house. It's a great example of Schindler's use of color; the original colors have been reinstated. Everyone thinks of modern houses as white - this one will surprise.

What are some of your favorite instances in which a Schindler-designed structure has been used in a movie(s) or TV show(s)?

I don't think I've seen a movie, and certainly not a TV show that filmed a Schindler building or even referred to one. In some ways Schindler is an insider's architect, appreciated by those who are thinking deeply about space and architecture in their own practices, whatever those may be.

There is a documentary film currently in production on architectural photographer Julius Schulman. Some great interview footage of Julius Schulman was shot at the Schindler House on Kings Road last December. Schulman speaks eloquently and with considerable warmth about Rudolph Schindler and his importance to Schulman as a young photographer and to southern California and modern architecture in general. If that film ever makes it onto the screen, and I hope it will, that will become my favorite
instance.

Does it bother you that modern homes are often associated with the Bad Guy in the fictional world of pop culture? (e.g. Lovell House in LA Confidential, Jackie Treehorn's Lautner home in The Big Lebowski)

This question was recently brought up in a panel discussion we had at the Schindler House, specifically in relation to Thom Andersen's movie LA Plays Itself. In the end we agreed that the bad guys Should live in these houses. We are talking about an avant-garde architecture, who else in the movies would we want to inhabit such structures? The wealthy? The do-gooders? The maintainers of the status-quo? I don't think so - it actually has to be the outlaws.

What's the best place to walk in LA?

Silverlake is lovely and lush, especially on a clear day when you can catch some vistas from the hilltops. I also still love to stroll Hollywood Blvd. because of the street life.

It's 9:30 pm on a typical Thursday. Where are you coming from and where are you going?

There are often cultural events - art openings, discussions, etc. that occur on Thursday evenings. If I haven't been at one of those, chances are I've just left the outdoor pool where I swim, and am heading somewhere to find dinner. One of the best things about living in southern California is that it's possible to swim outdoors all year long.

If you could live in LA during any era, when would it be?

I would definitely stick with the era of right now.

What is the "center" of LA to you?

In a city without a traditional center that's a tough call. I've always been an east-sider, so for me it's probably Hollywood.

If you could live in any neighborhood or specific house in LA, where/which would you choose?

I can't pick one. I'd choose any Schindler, any Lautner, Neutra's Lovell Health House with the pool back in operation, any site on a hilltop between downtown and the shoreline.

What is the city's greatest secret?

Secrets are for being kept.

Please describe your best LA dining experience.

I used to have a storefront at a bus stop on Hoover. Nearby was a little grocery store that sold home-made chocolate-dipped frozen bananas during the dog days of July through September. They were hugely popular, heaven on that scorched earth.

There was also a woman who would troll the streets at around 5 pm each day calling repeatedly: "TA-MA-LES." Her chicken tamales with olive were superb; I vastly preferred them over the pupusas being sold in front of the storefront church across the street.

Best supper on a hot night in polluted LA: Two tamales from the daily vendor, one Bohemia beer, a fresh tomato with olive oil and cilantro, and two chocolate-dipped frozen bananas for desert.

Where do you want to be when the Big One hits?

Definitely in Los Angeles, but with a full tank of gas.