Using architecture and design as a vehicle for social justice, Emily Pilloton works alongside youth to co-design and build public architecture projects that transform communities.
The Furniture Society has announced Emily Pilloton as its keynote presenter for its annual conference, NEXUS. Pilloton’s lecture, “Fear Less. Build More,” will be presented on June 14 at 11 a.m.
The Furniture Society is a nonprofit, educational organization founded in 1996. Its mission is to advance the art of furniture-making by inspiring creativity and promoting excellence. The Furniture Society’s 2018 NEXUS conference will be hosted by Dogpatch Studios, an event venue in the Dogpatch area of San Francisco. The conference will take place on all three floors of the location, with separate presentations taking place simultaneously for the majority of the time. There are restaurants and cafes within walking distance from the venue, offering a variety of lunch and dinner options.
Pilloton is a designer, builder, educator and founder of the nonprofit Project H Design and its sister program, Girls Garage. Pilloton was chosen as a keynote speaker because of her nonprofit work. Pilloton’s work seeks to cultivate power in underestimated communities, specifically young girls, undocumented youth and communities of color.
Using architecture and design as a vehicle for social justice, Pilloton works alongside youth ages 9 to 18 to co-design and build public architecture projects that transform communities. She has built a farmer’s market with high school students, a playhouse for the daughters of abused mothers, a school library designed by its own middle school students and micro homes for a transitional housing agency.
Pilloton’s work is the subject of the documentary If You Build It, has been featured on the TED Stage, The New York Times and The Colbert Report, and has been awarded recognition by the Obama Administration’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, the SEED Design Award and the Curry Stone Design Prize.
Pilloton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California Berkeley, and has a Master of Fine Arts in Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently a Lecturer in the College of Environmental Design at the University of California Berkeley, and is the author of three books, Design Revolution: 100 Products that Empower People, Tell Them I Built This: Transforming Schools, Communities, and Lives With Design-Based Education and Girls Garage: A Fearless Builder Girl’s Guide to Tools (forthcoming, 2019).
Photo courtesy of The Furniture Society
Luxury real estate agency’s architecturally-stunning Los Feliz redesign hosts a series of performances by the world’s top musical prodigies and winemakers.
Mercer Vine, a leader in Los Angeles luxury real estate, is partnering with K17 Music, a nonprofit that supports musical excellence with intimate classical performances by prodigious artists set in Los Angeles’ architecturally stunning estates.
Founded in 2015 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Nathan Frankel and internationally-renowned concert cellist Evgeny Tonkha, K17 began in Frankel’s former home, the Oak Pass main house and guest house in the Beverly Hills canyon, which was designed by architect Noah Walker, principal of Los Angeles-based Walker Workshop Design Build. The guest house was custom built to showcase music in an 80-seat concert hall. Upon selling the house last year, Frankel began exploring new and varied estates to host a new series of K17 fundraising performances. Mercer Vine was a natural partner.
“We are humbled to be a part of this exclusive concert series with K17,” said Justin Mandile, senior partner of Mercer Vine. “Nathan’s work with talented musicians is awe-inspiring. To combine our love for architecture and art with Nathan’s inspiration to elevate incredible talent and culture creates a feeling that can’t be described.”
This first intimate concert took place at 2515 Glendower Ave in Los Angeles on Oct. 22. Originally built in 1936, this newly redesigned home is beautifully nestled in the lush and historic Los Feliz hills. At more than 5,000 square feet, the 5-bedroom, 5.5-half bathroom home features high-end finishes throughout. Accordion-style doors open to the lush yard and large pool deck, with an infinity pool and spa that illuminate as a mirror image of the sky. To top it off, the $5,495,000 property boasts incredibly iconic views of the Downtown LA skyline and rolling hills.
“This partnership goes beyond having a concert in a home. It’s a way to explore the intersections of architecture, music, wine and thought to expand the mind and feed the soul,” Frankel said. “I decided to partner with Justin and Mercer Vine because our visions and goals align synergistically, encompassing custom-built architecture with blue-chip art pieces, and musical prodigies with an incredible talent. Through this partnership, K17 can grow into a musical masterpiece surrounded by prized Los Angeles architecture represented by Mercer Vine, a perfect match for both Los Angeles-based companies.”
Guests who attended the 2515 Glendower concert immersed themselves in an architecturally rich space, with blue-chip art pieces, light bites and wine, and classical music by duo Georg Winkler and Hubert Kellerer, Austrian artists who play the clarinet and accordion respectively.
As a leader in the luxury real estate industry, Mercer Vine has distinguished itself in its approach to creative marketing through imaginative branding and a closeness to the arts. Working alongside Frankel, the Mercer Vine creative team has an exclusive partnership and will host future concerts in architecturally stunning homes.
A video of the performance from Oct. 22 can be scene here. The next concert in the series, which was a completely sold out show, took place on Dec. 2.
The space is reserved for up to 80 guests, and can be purchased through single tickets or an annual membership. For more information or to buy tickets, visit k17music.com.
Photos courtesy of Alfred Yson