In West Hollywood, remembering John Chase and how he shaped the city
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John Chase, the irrepressible writer, planner and architect who died unexpectedly last year, would have turned 58 this Saturday. To celebrate his life -- and the impact he had on the urban character of West Hollywood, where he worked as an urban designer for a decade and a half -- a group of his friends, admirers and former co-workers have arranged a walking tour quirky and wide-ranging enough to honor a man remembered for bold opinions and bolder outfits.
Spearheaded by design writer Alissa Walker, the tour will leave from the Jerde Partnership’s West Hollywood Gateway project (7100 Santa Monica Blvd.) at 10 a.m. Saturday and wind up with drinks at Barney’s Beanery at 5:30 p.m. In between it will visit a long list of buildings and other parts of the city Chase examined in print, shaped or helped preserve. I’ll be reading a brief -- but lively! -- excerpt from ‘The Stucco Box,’ the terrific essay he wrote with John Beach on dingbat apartments, at roughly 12:15 p.m. in front of a classic example of the building type at 1035 Sierra Bonita Ave. Other participants along the way include Frances Anderton, architect Lorcan O’Herhily and developer Richard Loring.
For more details -- or to RSVP -- go here.
--Christopher Hawthorne
