SR-012208-10A10-- ~
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Review Board ~AN 22 2008
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Michael Folonls, Chairpesen
Lynn Robb, Vice-Chairperson
William Adams, Boartl member
Rotlolto Alvarez, Boartl member
Joan Charles, Boartl member
Tania Fischer, Boartl member
Etlouartl Mimieux, Board member
October 15, 2007
City Council of Santa Monica
Honorable Richard Bloom, Mayor
Honorable Herb Katz, Mayor Pro Tempore
Honorable Ken Genser
Honorable Robert Holbrook
Honorable Kevin McKeown
Honorable Pam O'Connor
Honorable Bobby Shriver
Dear Members of City Council,
Consistent with the mandate assigned to the Architectural Review Board as well as with broad af-
fection and deep concern for the architectural significance of our wonderful city by the sea, we ask approval
of an architectural excellence awards program to be administered by the City of Santa Monica, under the
general oversight of the ARB.
The Excellence Awazds Program is intended to provide prestigious incentives to all concerned with
the physical beauty and social attractiveness of our City.
Accordingly, for your consideration, we provide an EXECUTIVE SUMMARY which describes
the essential conceptual contours of the program. A more detailed IMPLEMENTATION PLAN has been
provided to Staff of the Planning Department so that a cost assessment can be developed for City Council if
that is so desired.
Respectfully Submitted,
Architectural Review Board City of Santa Monica
Michael Folonis, Chairperson
Lynn Robb, Vice-Chairperson
William Adams, Board member
Rodolfo Alvarez, Board member
Joan Charles, Board member
Tania Fischer, Board member
Edouard Mimieux, Board member
cc: P. Lamont Ewell, City Manager
Eileen Fogarty, Director, Department of Planning & Community Development
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Banta Movloa'
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2 2 2008
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
of
Proposal
for
Architectural Revaew 13®ard Excellence Awards
Mission Statement
The Architectural Review Board of the City of Santa Monica seeks to recognize and
reward distinctive accomplishments in architectural design in the city. The awards
process is intended to encourage the pursuit of excellence, creativity, and innovation
among members of the design and construction communities as well as among property
owners, investors, developers, and general citizenry who live and work in the City of
Santa Monica. The awards process shall not impose prescriptions or proscriptions of any
sort upon creativity and excellence in design and construction.
Nominations Procedure
Eligibility: Projects granted certificate of occupancy prior to January 1st of even
numbered years. Not eligible are projects associated with members of City Council,
Planning Commission, Landmarks Commission, or Architectural Review Board.
Nominators: Any member of design and/or construction communities also proprietors,
investors, developers, and/or general citizenry who live, work, and visit the City of Santa
Monica.
Format: Nomination submitted on compact disk (CD), with specified information.
Disqualification: No recourse or appeal.
Categories for Awards
• SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MIXED-USE (COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL) STRUCTURE
• LARGE COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• SMALL COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• LANDSCAPE
• SIGNAGE
Selection Committee
Appointment: By Santa Monica City Council, upon nomination by ARB assisted by
City Planning Department Staff.
Term of Service: One year term of service; renewable after ten year hiatus.
Composition: Five persons; a professor of architecture from an accredited school; a
practicing architect, practicing landscape architect, contractor/builder, and a graphic
designer or artist.
Procedure and Criteria for Selection of Meritorious Projects
Nominations open January 1St and close last day of February on even numbered years;
selection completed by August 31St. Projects evaluated at five levels: No Award,
Honorable Mention, Third Place, Second Place, or First Place. An important question:
Will the City of Santa Monica be enhanced by the usefulness and esthetic qualities of this
project for the next one hundred years?
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE:
Pageantry and Publicity for the City of Santa Monica
Forty-eight hour schedule of events designed to exhibit the City of Santa Monica as
hospitable to superior architecture and landscape design. Including, historic landmarks
tour, excellence awards tour, informal party, international distinguished lecture,
excellence awards ceremony, post award ceremony formal party.
Implementation
The Architectural Review Board Excellence Awards program will commence on January
lst of the next even numbered year following the year in which the Council adopts the
program. City Council will fund initial worldwide publicity campaign. Initial awards
cycle includes projects granted certificate of occupancy during previous ten years; within
previous two years for subsequent cycles.
Budgetary Considerations
To extent possible, program will be conducted without City funding. Initially, City
Council may. allocate start-up funds; to be recovered in later years. Other sources of
funding may include: private individuals, foundations, business corporations, firms
within design, construction, and landscaping industry.
A very rough and preliminary list of expense items to be considered: Substantial
honoraria (transportation, per diem expenses) for Distinguished Speaker and architecture
professor, publicity; security, venue rental, tours, overtime city staff, etc.
_ ~ _ ._ .
m _ _, a .
2 2
~ G - ~--
Revealingand Increasing the Public Value of f ~ 2 2 - 0 8
Arts, Cuiture and Heritage
in Santa Monica
In an oniine survey, participants were asked to please describe a Santa Monica arts experience that
was most meaningful or memorable to them. Following is a sample of the more than 96 answers.
Watching Virginia Avenue Project kids-
turned-adults enter the Miles Playhouse
as proud audience members -confirming
that the next generation of theatre goers is
alive and well and as passionate about the
Arts as the predecessors. Leigh Curran, Los
Angeles
Through 18`h Street I was able to help with
a hip-hop dance class for teenagers at the
Virginia Avenue Park on Pico. I saw the
once shy and reluctant children become
fully involved, eager, and their excitement
grow with each class that was taken. At
the end of the class, they made a music
video they could each take home with
them. Being an observer to this
experience was mind-blowing, and gave
me so much happiness. Jessie
When I entered the performance space I
had absolutely no idea what to expect. I
was pretty nervous because I didn't have a
lot of experience with art. Little did I
know the experience would not only have
a lasting impact on my life, it would open
a door to my future career path and life's
work? Though I did not have a formal
education, and knew little about
performance, social justice or the civil
wars in Central America, the piece spoke
to my core values and innate desire to
contribute to society. Had I not been
exposed to the experience, I may not have
found the door that has led me to become
a more self-realized, compassionate and
engage citizen. Danielle Bra2ell, Los Angeles
It was something I could share with
both of my daughters. Alla, Los
Angeles
I participated in the Juneteenth
celebration. There were great dance,
storytelling and poetry presentations. I
saw old friends and made some new ones
- Had a ball!!! Michael D. McGarry
I have been acting professionally for 15
years. In 2007, I went to the Morgan-
Wixson theatre to see a production of
Pippin and was blown away by the
community experience, the dedication of
the folks that run the theatre and the
enthusiasm of the performers. That
theatre is a little hidden gem in Santa
Monica. We need more places, nooks &t
crannies, theatres and performances
spaces like that one. David Koff; Venice
Over the spring break I took an amazing
silk screening art camp. It took place at
the Santa Monica Museum of Art and we
also went to different artist studios. After
one week of art, art, and more art we had
an exhibit at the SAMO HI art gallery,
which was so great, I hope they have it
again!!! Lukaza, Santa Monica
Santa Monica is a wonderful and
most beautiful as a natural setting
with the ocean and beach, but what
makes it super spectacular are the
arts and cultural activities! Al(aire
Koslo, Lake Hughes
I have consistently found the exhibitions
at the Santa Monica Museum of Art to be
extremely captivating and definitely
worth visiting. I feel that the Museum is
extremely important, not only to the arts
in Santa Monica, but to southern
California as a whole. When I go to the
3rd Street Promenade, I make it a point to
visit the Neighborhood Outreach Gallery
in the Santa Monica Place mall to see what
the kids have been working on most
recently the kids worked with Frank
Romero. Programs like this are fantastic.
Lillian, Whittier, CA
We value every cultural experience
we have in Santa Monica! Suzanne
McKevitt, Santa Monica
I went to an Open house held by 18th
Street Arts Center in September 1994. It
felt like a guided tour of an artsy funhouse!
We saw artists' studios with artists at
work. After that came my own
involvement with Highways and 18th
Street, participating in a Performance
Workshop, a doll art show, and attending
many other events there-to this day. Lynne
Bronstein, Santa Monica
I've had so many great art experiences in
Santa Monica but one truly memorable
one was in 1997 when Karen Finley was
performing at Highways and I convinced
my fairly staid mother to meet me and we
went together. It was great to see the
work and to see her see the work and it
actually created a pretty good dialogue
between us. Andrea Stang, Culver City
It was amazing to be in the 18th Street
Arts Center with so many talented
dedicated artists, performers etc. The
large studio allowed me to expand my
work in ways which had been previously
impossible. Also the location was ideal for
studio visits from curators and gallery
owners. Joel Biel, Los Angeles
I attended a solo performance piece at
Highways Performance Space in Santa
Monica about AIDS in Africa and how the
struggles there connect to the struggles
gay men faced in the 80's and 90's here in
Los Angeles. It was so powerful and
educational to connect the dots between
the "separate" struggles. The evening
continued in the lobby where the audience
chatted and brainstormed ways to
continue to help make a difference while
remembering all the ways that worked. It
was a powerful evening of performance
that has stuck with me and continues to
fuel me. Ian MacKinnon, Valley Village
A field trip to the Santa Monica
Museum permanently changed my
students' ideas of art.
Amy Bounse, Santa Monico
I went to the Tijuana art show at the
SMMoA. It was so great I got the chills
standing in that room full of art from my
family's home city. Tijuana is always
depicted as a place for crime or poverty.
Seeing the positive, side of life there
reflected in Santa Monica, in a beautiful
museum was just so gratifying. Ben Garcia,
Los Angeles
At Santa Monica Museum of Arts' Art
Park at Virginia Avenue Park I was so
happy to see young people of all back
grounds exhibiting their newly learned
animating skills at the Santa Monica
Museum. The Santa Monica Museum of
Art public education department provides
fantastic, interesting art classes for all.
Gulbin Yavu~, Santa Monica
My spring break of 2007 screen printing
workshop with Santa Monica Museum of
Art was a great learning experience and a
lot of fun. Matthew Moore, Santa Monica
I have truly been touched by the
art angels in Santa Monica.
Barbara Katz Bierman, Northridge
I'm an Australian artist-in-residence at the
18th Street Arts Center. I met most of my
current and dear friends in the first few
days of arriving here through a gathering
known as the Habbeus Lounge - an
amazing red cushioned feat of
architectural design where visitors are
encouraged to discuss issues around the
constitution. The experience into become
part of an ongoing work of art. Kieran
Melbourne, Australia
I attended a play by Keith Antar Mason at
Highways. It was a provocative look at the
intersection of war and race. I was
entertained and informed: That's makes
for a great evening out in Santa Monica.
Michael, Playa Del Rey
I had a fabulous opportunity to work for
two months in 2006 at the 18`h Street Arts
Center after experiencing Hurricane
Katrina. I was able to resume doing my oil
paintings for the first time since losing my
home and much of my work due to
flooding after the storm. It was an idyllic
time I will remember for the rest of my life.
Dona Simons, New Orleans
I attended 12th Night at Reed Park tennis
court in the summer. My daughter had
just been in an elementary school version
of this play a couple weeks earlier. I did
not get it -- nor could I remember her
character's name! I am not a big theater
goer and only have a high school education
in Shakespeare BUT the interpretation of
-the play on the Reed park tennis court
was hilarious and outrageous and I GOT
IT! Looking back on 2007 I think this
compelled me to see a lot more live
theater. I saw about 8 live shows in the
2nd 1/2 of 2007 -- everything from IA
Opera to Highways Golden Unitard Pop
Off. I'm certain I did not see a single live
show for a few years before this.
Anonymous
A dance performance at the Mffes
Playhouse opened my eyes to how artful
and majestic choreographed human
movement could be. Scott, Beverly Hills, CA
The Santa Monica Museum of Art
regularly has children's art exhibits at
Santa Monica Place. I know the public
enjoys them, I see them stop and take their
time looking at them. They brighten up
the mall. Linde
Thanks to the Arts Education
Transportation Grant Program, our young
children have been to visit several
museums and have been introduced to
artists in fun and interactive ways that
they would have never experienced before.
They actually remember these artists and
try to copy their work at home. Cindy
I have had multiple meaningful
experiences at the SM Museum of Art. I
feel that the more incredible shows the
Santa Monica Museum of Art can put on
the more likely all of us local residents will
stop. driving downtown and enjoy the
local art and institutions in our backyard.
Anonymous
A local artist was conducting a poetry
workshop for incest survivors and needed
a place for them to perform their work - as
part of their recovery. We booked it on a
Sunday afternoon, imagining the audience
would be small. Instead the audience
packed the house, literally hanging from
the rafters. The poems were certainly
beginners' work but the performance was
very well staged. As the writers described
their experiences in poetry, I began to
head audience members sobbing. Pretty
soon, the whole audience was crying, and I
wondered if they, too, were survivors.
Afterwards they each hugged me on the
way out. I consider this one of the most
successful events we ever did. Through
the work was amateur, and many would
not call it Art, it was definitely
....something. It taught me there are all
kinds of art needs, and some more urgent
than others. Linda Frye Burnham
As the current chair of the California
Arts Council, I want to commend you
for conducting this survey and -for
the significant support - both in
terms of grants and in terms of other
demonstrations of civic commitment
- which the City of Santa Monica
gives to its artists and arts
organizations.
Michael Alexander, Los Angeles
Chairperson of the California Arts
I'd like to both thank and commend the
City of Santa Monica for its forward
thinking and support of the arts. The
programs and events you provide for
residents and public are a true model of
what civic engagement is all about. Thank
you! .Xavier Cazares Cortez, San Bernardino
Our children and all ages need art.
It is vital to harmonious living. In
my own life history, music in school
was my passport out of difficult
economic beginnings. The Artist
role is to dream for society. Take
away the Arts, the nightmare of
violence takes over. Vida Vierro,
Santa Monica
I brought an out-of-town friend to view
the Catalina/Mahbu tiles exhibited at the
California Heritage Museum. My friend
became so enthralled with the beauty and
history of the tiles that she- researched
outlets for the authentic tiles and
purchased a substantial amount to re-
decorate her bathroom. This would never
have happened without the friendly
guidance of the Heritage Museum docent.
Anonymous
~ IT
Architectural Review Board san:n Monica
Michael Folonis, Chairperson
Lynn Robb, Vice-Chairperson
William Adams, Board member
Rodolfo Alvarez, Board member
Tania Fischer, Board member
Edouard Mimieux, Board member
Proposal
for
Architectural Review Board Excellence Awards
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMIvlARY ............................................................................................ .......2
Mission Statement ............................................................................................... .......2
Nominations Procedure .................................................:..................................... .......2
Categories for Awards ........................................................................................ .......2
Selection Committee ...:......................:................................................................ .......2
Procedure and Criteria for Selection of Meritorious Projects ............................. .......3
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE: Pageantry Publicity City of Santa Monica.... :.......3
Implementation ................................................................................................... .......3
Budget ................................................................................................................. .......3
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ......................................................................................... .......4
Mission Statement ............................................................................................... .......4
Nominations Procedure ..................................................................................:.... .......4
Eligibility ................................................................................................ .......4
Nominators .....................:........................................................................ .......4
Format .............................................................................................:....... .......4
Disqualification ....................................................................................... .......5
Categories for Awazds ........................................................................................ .......5
Selection Committee ........................................................................................... .......5
Appointment ...........................................................:............................... .......5
Term of Service ....................................................................................... .......5
Composition ............................................................................................ .......5
Procedure and Criteria for Selection of Meritorious Projects ............................. .......6
POMP AND CII2CUMSTANCE: Pageantry Publicity City of Santa Monica... ........7
Tours ..:.................................................................................................... .......8
Lecture ......:............................................................................................. .......8
Ceremony ................................................................................................ .......9
Dinners and Parties ................................................................................. .......9
Implementation ................................................................................................... .......10
Publicity .................................................................................................. .......10
Awards Cycles ........................................................................................ .......10
Funding ...............................................................................:................... .......10
Budget ....................................................:............................................................ .......11
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
of
Proposal
for
Architectural Review Board Excellence Awards
Mission Statement
The Architectural Review Board of the City of Santa Monica seeks to recognize and
reward distinctive accomplishments in architectural design in the city. The awards
process is intended to encourage the pursuit of excellence, creativity, and innovation
among members of the design and construction communities as well as among property
owners, investors, developers, and general citizenry who live and work in the City of
Santa Monica. The awards process shall not impose prescriptions or proscriptions of any
sort upon creativity and excellence in design and construction.
Nominations Procedure
Eligibility: Projects granted certificate of occupancy prior to January ls` of even
numbered years. Not eligible are projects associated with members of City Council,
Planning Commission, Landmarks Commission, or Architectural Review Board.
Nominators: Any member of design and/or construction communities also proprietors,
investors, developers, and/or general citizenry who live, work, and visit the City of Santa
Monica.
Format: Nomination submitted on compact disk (CD), with specified information.
Disqualification: No recourse or appeal. .
Categories for Awards
• SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MIXED-USE (COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL) STRUCTURE
• LARGE COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• SMALL COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• LANDSCAPE
• SIGNAGE
Selection Committee
Appointment: By Santa Monica City Council, upon nomination by ARB assisted by
City Planning Department Staff.
Term of Service: One year term of service; renewable after ten year hiatus.
Composifion: Five persons; a professor of architecture from an accredited school; a
practicing architect, practicing landscape architect, contractor/builder, and a graphic
designer or artist.
2
Procedure and Criteria for Selection of Meritorious Projects
Nomin;~ions open January 15` and close last day of February on even numbered yeazs;
selection completed by August 315`. Projects evaluated at five leveZs.• No Award,
Honorable Mention, Third Place, Second Place, or First Place. An important question:
Will the City of Santa Monica be enhanced by the usefulness and esthetic qualities of this
project for the next one hundred years?
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE:
Pageantry and Publicity for the City of Santa Monica
Forty-eight hour schedule of events designed to exhibit the City of Santa Monica as
hospitable to superior architecture and landscape design. Including, historic landmarks
tour, excellence awards tour, informal party, international distinguished lecture,
excellence awards ceremony, post award ceremony formal party.
Implementation
The Architectural Review Boazd Excellence Awards program will commence on January
15` of the next even numbered year following the year in which the Council adopts the
program. City Council will fund initial worldwide publicity campaign. Initial awards
cycle includes projects granted certificate of occupancy during previous ten years; within
previous two years for subsequent cycles.
Budgetary Considerations
To extent possible, program will be conducted without City funding. Initially, City
Council may allocate start-up funds; to be recovered in later years. Other sources of
funding may include: private individuals, foundations, business corporations, firms
within design, construction, and landscaping industry.
A very rough and preliminary list of expense items to be considered: Substantial
honoraria (transportation, per diem expenses) for Distinguished Speaker and architecture
professor, publicity, security, venue rental, tours, overtime city staff, etc.
3
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
of
Proposal
for
Architectural Review Soard Excellence Awards
Mission Statement
The Architectural Review Board of the City of Santa Monica seeks to recognize and
reward distinctive accomplishments in architectural design and construction as one of
several means by which to achieve a salutary long term beautifying and inspiring
influence on the built environment throughout the city. The awards .process, broadly
conceived, is intended to create a culture that encourages the pursuit of excellence in
creative innovation amongst professional members of the design and construction
communities as well as amongst property owners, investors, developers, and general
citizenry that live, work, and visit the City of Santa Monica. The awards process itself
shall not impose prescriptions or proscriptions of any sort upon creativity in design and
construction.
Nominations Procedure
Eligibility: Completed projects that have been granted a certificate of occupancy prior to
January 15` of even numbered years shall be eligible for nomination. Not eligible for
nomination, neither at any time, nor under any circumstances, are projects that are even
remotely associated with any then sitting member of City Council, City Planning
Commission, or Architectural Review Boazd.
Nominators: Nominations may be made by any member of the design and/or
construction communities as well as by proprietors, investors, developers, and/or general
citizenry that live, work, and visit the City of Santa Monica.
Format: To the fullest extent possible, the nomination and submission processes shall be
kept minimally simple and low cost. There shall be no required format for submission of
a nomination but every submission must provide the following information on a digital
compact disk (CD): (a) Full identification of and contact information for, both
Nominator(s) and Nominee(s), (b) Nomination Statement of no more than 300 words
enumerating specific design and/or construction principles and/or techniques employed
and an evaluation of the level of excellence achieved by the project through appropriate
comparisons to at least two world renowned projects, (c) no more than fifteen (15)
images of various elevations and floor plans (both external and internal) of the project; at
least seven (7) images shall exhibit the project in 3 dimensional perspective and each
image shall have a brief descriptive caption of no more than ten words. Six copies of CD
and shall be submitted to the Architectural Review Boazd; one for permanent file and five
for subsequent distribution to Selection Committee.
4
Disqualification: Any and all submissions that exceed exact specified format limitations
will be immediately disqualified from further consideration without recourse or appeal.
Strict adherence to specified submission format keeps cost down and more or less equal
for all projects nominated, allowing all projects to compet; on as much of a level field as
is humanly possible.
Categories for Awards
A project may be nominated for contention in any one or more amongst seven
broadly inclusive categories. Wherever and whenever possible an award will be made in
each category. It is expected, indeed demanded, that no award be made in any category
for which nominated projects do not meet criteria for world-class distinctive great merit.
• SINGLE FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE
• MIXED-USE (COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL) STRUCTURE
• LARGE COMMERCIAL /PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• SMALL COMMERCIAL /PUBLIC STRUCTURE
• LANDSCAPE
• SIGNAGE
Selection Committee
Appointment: The Selection Committee shall consist of five individuals, appointed by
the City Council of the City of Santa Monica, upon nomination by the Architectural
Review Boazd. Staff of the City Planning Department shall assist ARB by gathering and
presenting information on potential recommendations.
Term of Service: Appointment is for a one year term of service only. There shall be no
limitation on the number of times an individual may serve on the Selection Committee
provided that no one shall be appointed to a subsequent term of service until after a full
ten calendar years have transpired subsequent to December 31 of the year in which prior
service was rendered.
Composition: The Selection Committee shall consist of five individuals practicing in the
State of California at the time of appointment, one each from the following categories: A
professor of architecture at a school of architecture accredited in the State of California,
an architect of distinction, a landscape architect of distinction, acontractor/builder of
distinction, and a graphic designer or artist.
5
Procedure and Criteria for Selection of Meritorious Projects
On even numbered years, nominations shall officially open January 1St and ^lose
at mid-night the last day of February. Thereafter, the Selection Committee may start
deliberation on nominations on March 1st and complete its selections by no la`.er than
August 31St.
The Selection Committee is chazged with heavy responsibility for implementation
of the Mission Statement. World-class distinctive excellence in creative innovation shall
be the sole criterion for selection. Wherever possible the Selection Committee shall make
comparative evaluations by reference to world-renowned projects. Without regard to the
number of nominations entered in any category, the Selection Committee shall make no
award for any reason other than distinctive creative excellence. Integrity, value, public
benefit, and continuation of this program stems from strict adherence to a world class
standard of excellence; hence, it is understood and expected that no
award may be made in any category and/or that a lower level
award (e.g. honorable mention) might be made whereas no higher
level awards (e.g. first place) might be made in a category.
Hence, within each category, projects will be competitively
judged, not only by comparison to each other, but, also, by
comparison to known projects elsewhere around the globe. Within
that contextual threshold, projects will be meritorious at five
levels: No Award, Honorable Mention, Third Place, Second
Place, or First Place.
Evaluation-Selection Committee shall be particularly attentive to and sensitive of
breadth and depth within a well developed technique, composition, depth (layering) of
design and composition. Capacity to creatively explore and extend previously
established boundaries of a known style of architectural design through imaginative
application of fundamentals, of essential principles, that have heretofore defined that
style - as much in design as in innovative use of construction materials. In the idiom of
current day vernacular: to expand the envelope and take it to a whole new level.
Evaluation-Selection Committee shall search for expression
of fundamental design principles and eschew shortcuts and trendy
cliches in the work under evaluation; technique in execution of
design, composition, and construction. An important question to be
answered in the evaluative process is: Will this work stand up to the test of time? Is this
work so fundamentally sound that one hundred years later both lay and professional
audiences will still view it as meritorious of recognition for excellence? Will the City of
6
Santa Monica continue to be enhanced by the usefulness and esthetic qualities of this
project for the next one hundred years?
The submission CD shall include a brief but relatively full
description of the background cultural-socio-personal-educational-
professional influences upon the nominee(s) that form the
antecedent context from which stems the work under evaluation.
The Selection Committee shall briefly examine the nominee's sequence of prior
work leading up to the work under evaluation; in effect, although the focus of attention is
the project under review, a measure of attention shall be given to the previous body of
work done by individuals responsible for the project. Hitting the jack pot with one
project is not the intention of this excellence awards program. Rather, the intent is to
induce fundamental and long term focus on design creativity and. esthetic innovation,
rather than, inadvertently, to stimulate a shallow competitive drive to "hit the jack pot"
with a one time lucky shot.
At all times, the Selection Committee shall be keenly focused
on the purpose of the excellence awards program -which is to
elevate aspirations and expectations of all stake holders in the built
environment within the City of Santa Monica -professional
members of the design and construction communities as well as
property owners, investors, developers, and general population that
live, work, and visit the City of Santa Monica.
Evaluations shall be kept secret until announced at the subsequent Public
Ceremony.
POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE:
Pageantry and Publicity for City of Santa Monica
The awards procedure shall take place over aforty-eight hour period during which
various events will be designed to exhibit the City of Santa Monica as hospitable to
superior architecture. This will be accomplished in a three phase sequence: Tours, State
of the Art Address, and Awards Ceremony. The City Council shall cause the two-day
awards procedure to be broadly publicized throughout the professional design and
construction communities as a means of calling attention to Santa Monica as a venue that
is particularly hospitable to creative innovation. A web site of high quality graphic
design worthy of the Excellence Awards Program shall be constructed for world wide
access to the program. Pamphlets of high quality graphic design worthy of the
Excellence Awards Program shall be mailed to selected recipients world wide.
Appropriate coverage by mass media shall be encouraged.
7
The intent of guided tours and distinguished invited speaker is to add substance to
the pomp-and-circumstance of the two-day celebratory event. At some point in time, a
book might be published exhibiting the accumulated tour brochures and public lectures.
The sequence of events shall be more or less as follows:
a) LANDMARKS TOUR - An Historical Retrospective of Santa Monica:
The first morning of the two-day celebration, the Santa Monica Conservancy shall
conduct a grand tour of historical landmarks in the City giving emphasis to
elements of the built environment that were of innovative significance at the time
they were built. This tour will be repeated the second morning of the two-day
celebration.
b) LUNCH BREAK:
A suitable period of time shall separate morning and afternoon tours. Tour
participants may have lunch separately or in organized groups.
c) EXCELLENCE AWARDS TOUR:
The first afternoon of the two-day celebration, the Architectural Review Board
shall organize a grand tour that starts with projects that have won an Excellence
Award in the past and culminate with an internal visit of prof ects that are current
active contenders an Excellence Award. This tour will be repeated the second
afternoon of the two day celebration.
Individuals in the design and construction communities who have been recipients
of an Excellence Award shall provide first hand discourse of their project;
problems encountered and solutions found from conception to design, review,
approval, construction, and certification. As time passes, and an inventory of
meritorious projects accumulates, this tour will increasingly provide both lay
tourists as well as professional members of the world wide design and
construction communities with a comprehensive exposure to the City's high
regard for creative innovation
d) DINNER BREAK:
A suitable period of time shall separate afternoon tours from subsequent events.
e) INFORMAL PARTY:
The fist evening of the two-day celebration, the Architectural Review Board be
present and circulate amongst celebrants at a NO-HOST party open. (by prior
reservation for security purposes) to all professional members of the design and
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construction communities as well as property owners, investors, developers, and
general citizenry that live, work, and visit the City of Santa Monica.
f) DISTINGUISHED LECTURE:
The second evening of the two-day celebration, at the Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium, a state of the art address shall be delivered by a distinguished
member of the world wide design or construction community.
Every two years the City Council shall appoint a distinguished member of the
worldwide design or construction community to deliver a major address
reviewing the state-of--art and prognosis for the future ni the speaker's fields of
professional endeavor.
Distinguished members of the worldwide design and construction communities
shall be considered for appointment to deliver the biennial State of the Art
Address; to be differentiated from appointment to the Selection Committee which
is limited to the State of California. The speaker will be selected by a committee
composed of a member of City Council, a member of Planning Commission, and
all members of the entire Architectural Review Board from amongst nominations
solicited from members of the design and/or construction communities as well as
proprietors, investors, developers, and/or general citizenry that live, work, and
visit the City of Santa Monica. Staff of the City Planning Deparhnent shall assist
ARB by gathering and presenting information on potential recommendations.
Master of Ceremonies for the event shall be the Chair of the Architectural Review
Board or, in her/his absence the Vice Chair.
The Mayor of the City of Santa Monica or a similar high public official shall
introduce the distinguished speaker.
g) INTERMISSION BREAK:
A suitable amount of time shall allow the audience to move about and obtain
refreshment between the end of the distinguished lecture and commencement of
Awards Ceremony.
h) CONFERRAL CEREMONY: EXCELLENCE AWARDS:
After a very short break following the Distinguished Lecture, the audience will be
reconvened in the Civic Auditorium for the presentation of Excellence Awards.
Master of Ceremonies for the event shall be the Chair of the Architectural Review
Board or, in her/his absence the Vice Chair.
Members of ARB shall present awards to winners in various categories.
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An artistic high quality parchment. certificate and an inscribed Oscar-like trophy
shall be presented to First Place winners; an appropriate similar certificate will be
presented to other awazdees.
i) POST AWARDS FORMAL PARTY:
The second evening of the two day celebration, immediately following
presentation of Excellence Awards, there shall be a black-tie formal party, in
honor of Excellence Awards winners, at which the Mayor and City Council of the
City shall speak and circulate amongst celebrants. While funding for this event
might come primarily from firms that had current submissions for Excellence
Awards, ideally funding would come from all firms that in the design and
construction communities as well as property owners, investors, and developers
active in the City Santa Monica.
Implementation
Unless otherwise provided by City Council, in order to provide ample lead-time
for City Staff to prepare, Architectural Review Boazd Excellence Awards program will
go commence on January 151 of the next even numbered yeaz following the year in which
the Council adopts the program.
Unless otherwise provided by City Council, publicity for Architectural Review
Board Excellence Awazds program will commence no later than September 15` of the year
prior to the even numbered inaugural year; this shall be the usual start date in subsequent
cycles of the program.
Unless otherwise provided by City Council, in the first inaugural cycle of the
program, projects completed and granted a certificate of occupancy within the previous
ten years will be eligible. In the second two year cycle, projects completed within the
previous 5 years will be eligible, on the second iteration of the Program (e.g. in the
subsequent two years). Thereafter, in all subsequent cycles, only projects completed and
granted a certificate of occupancy within the previous two years will be eligible.
Funding: To the maximum extent possible this program will be conducted without tax-
based funding. During initial years, City Council may have to allocate some start up
funds. However, it is anticipated that public spirited private individuals would make tax-
advantaged donations to support the program. Public service Foundations would also be
encourage to provide financial support with the goal of using Santa Monica as an
example of what can be done to improve the built environment around the world.
Finally, business corporations might very well see this program to make a substantial
fundamental long term contribution to their own business plan. Hence, corporations in
all lines of business benefiting from tourism as well as design and construction might
make enlightened contributions to maintain and expand the program, for example: hotels,
restaurants, mass media, transportation companies, construction companies, azchitectural
firms, and many others.
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Some Budgetary Considerations
What are costs for mounting an Excellence Awards event every two years? Here
is a very rough and prelir..inary list of expense items to be considered:
• Honoraria for Distinguished Speaker as well as for academic architect from a
school of architecture in the State of California.
• Transportation, hotel, and food expenses for Distinguished Speaker as well as for
Dean of Architectural School. Distinguished member of the Southern California
design and construction communities might reasonably be expected to participate
at their own tax-benefited expense as a public service contribution.
• Publicity: -Mass media (TV, radio, news paper) local, California, World. -Mass
mailing to special lists such as building contractors, architects, students/faculty at
schools of architecture, etc. Publicity has dual function; ostensibly to publicize
the Excellence Awards, but, fundamentally, to place firmly in the minds of the
global population (8 billion) the idea of Santa Monica as a destination of great
merit.
• Security: Additional police and fire services required?
• Venue rental for the Awards Ceremony: Presumably the SM Civic Auditorium or
Public Library would be venues, as might be other large structures. What
additional costs above normal operations would these venues require?
• Tours: Insurance, transportation, etc costs for offering public tours to venues that
were previous winners of an Excellence Award.
• Miscellaneous costs: Extra work hours for City staff, etc.
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Criteria for Judgment
Architectural Review Board Exccalence Awards Program
The objective is to have criteria forjudgment that facilitate and sustain worldwide
identification of Santa Monica as a vital center for artistic endeavors generally and for
architectural design in particular - - to validate efforts by a large and growing population of
artists and architects that energetically seek to elevate the aesthetic quality of the built
environment in Santa Monica, to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
While there is no consensus, and perhaps there should be no consensus, on what
constitutes specific aesthetic criteria peculiarly applicable within Santa Monica, the
Excellence Awards Program seeks to cultivate a very high standard of professionalism in
the pursuit of aesthetic quality. Accordingly, four factors that impact on Santa Monica's
aesthetic environment should be considered, irrespective of particular architectural styles.
First, and perhaps most important, are design characteristics that encourage a special
regard for, attention to, and appreciation of unique natural and historical features of our
city; a seaside urban venue on the Pacific coast of California. This criterion does not seek
to impose any sort of restriction on creativity and imagination. Rather it seeks to
encourage freedom of creative expression at the same time that it seeks to address the
distinctiveness of Santa Monica.
A second category of judgmental issues addresses the extent to which an architectural
work conceptually aspires to cultivate both design principles and design techniques at a
very high standard of professionalism so as to facilitate and cultivate a distinctive artistic
environment of the highest merit within the City of Santa Monica.
Third, the extent to which architects who propose to contribute to the built environment
within Santa Monica are aware of each other's creative work, take each other's work into
account, reinforce each other's aspirations for creative excellence, and seek to stimulate
and sustain a high standard of aesthetic excellence within the city.
Fourth, the extent to which an architectural work stimulates and sustains interaction of
people, residents and visitors alike, with each other and with specific architectural features
sous to provide perspective on and encourage appreciation for the city's aesthetic
environment.
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