MAA Self-sufficient Building‘s students are back from their trip to USA, accompanied by Faculty Enric Ruiz Geli and Mireia Luzárraga. On their arrival in Los Angeles, students and tutors payed a visit to some of the most interesting architectures of the city: the Broad Museum, the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the LACMA Museum, closing the day with a walk at Venice Beach.

On the following day, after a visit to the Walk of Fame, Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, the group had a look at Prada’s store in Rodeo Drive, by OMA. Its most remarkable feature is the absence of a facade; the entire width of 50 feet along Rodeo Drive opens up to the street, without a traditional storefront or glass enclosure, inviting the public to enter the building.

The students had then a chance to visit SCI-Arc and have a complete tour of its facilities from 3D printing and CNC rooms, robots, labs, workshops and library. After the tour, they had a conversation with the director of this school: Hernán Diaz Alonso, talking about the future.

The third day started with a visit to the Eames’ house, a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located in the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood of Los Angeles. The group lately moved to Pasadena to visit the Art Center College of Design and later that day, the off-grid trip started.

They kept driving through desert and snowy zones, heading to Antelope Canyon. Once arrived there they had a tour of the canyon, before moving to Arcosanti, an urban laboratory focused on innovative design and community, based on Paolo Soleri‘s theory of compact city design, Arcology (architecture + ecology).

On the last day the group visited Taliesen West, Frank Lloyd Wright‘s school of architecture.