OU Architecture faculty member René Peralta was a panelist for this year’s California Lawyers for the Arts symposium, INTERSECTIONS: Art and Law at the Border. Peralta was joined by panelists Amy Sanchez and Misael Diaz of Cognate Collective and Norma Iglesias Prieto at the CLA’s fifth bi-national event.
With a focus on the geopolitical context of the Tijuana-San Diego region, the intention of this gathering was to highlight artists, activists, lawyers, scholars and researchers whose work navigates the intersection of art, praxis and legal issues. As San Diego and Tijuana begin to activate conversation rooted in the 2024 World Design Capital designation, there will be an in-person panel examining Border Art History and Intervention: Past Present and Future.
At the symposium, Peralta explored the evolution of the San Diego-Tijuana border region, delving into its historical perspective based on the 1974 visit by urbanist Kevin Lynch and landscape architect Donald Appleyard. These pioneers proposed a vibrant, sustainable future for the region, but were faced with socio-cultural divisions and geographical gradients.
Peralta also brought attention to the modern conditions represented in the dystopian film “Sleep Dealer,” illustrating issues like border militarization, labor exploitation, techno-dystopias, and the ramifications of climate change and economic disparity.
Highlighting the role of contemporary architectural practices in Tijuana, Peralta presents the border as a reflection of global challenges. He emphasizes a systemic approach to regional transformation that incorporates innovative design strategies for potential alternative realities. By recognizing the border region as a zone of possibilities, Peralta posits that existing frictions could serve as catalysts for the evolution of future urban landscapes and architectural development.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to announce the promotion of Ph.D. student Rafael Hernandez to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Gibbs College of Architecture Assistant Professor Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has co-authored a new book chapter with Josh Newton and Andrew Born, published in De Gruyter Handbook of the Geographies of Race.
Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) alumni Trey Ingram, AICP recently spoke with current PLAD student and graduate media assistant Molly Strobel to share his experiences with the Regional and City Planning program and current work with the Toyota Mobility Foundation.
