In everything Beulah undertakes, we are defined by civic-minded responsibility, rigorous research, global vision, innovative thinking and a passion for design and culture. We frequently look to a range of industry and thought leaders to share their thinking, insights and perspectives, often drawn from lived experiences.
With a wealth of inspiration and rich storytelling at our fingertips, we share this with you by way of our Beulah City Guides Series, an exploration of cities around the world, through the eyes of compelling industry and thought leaders.
Given Beulah’s dedication to finding ways to improve future living, it seemed only fitting that Sherry Dobbin, Managing and Cultural Director of Futurecity, partake in the series with a guide to one of her favourite cities, Los Angeles, California, USA.
By chance, there are individuals from every period in my life who now live there, and each time I live or visit, it is like I am coming home. It has everything – mountains, beach, city, gardens, dessert, culture, entertainment, sunshine, and hidden neighbourhoods – and yet it changes constantly so it always feels fresh.
Los Angeles is the home of fictional moving image and therefore, there is permission to experiment and remake the sense of any era through design or narrative. The spread of the city gives room for creative thought, the winding hills of Mulholland Drive or Laurel Canyon generate a sense of drama and mystery. It is a city where wandering through the ordinary can be the catalyst for ‘what if?…’ and the icons of America pop up on every street.
It is a city where wandering through the ordinary can be the catalyst for ‘what if?…’ and the icons of America pop up on every street.
As an Assistant Director for Los Angeles Opera, I was facilitating an orchestral rehearsal in which 120 chorus, 100 musicians and 12 principals performed for me in the foyer of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with a backdrop of large windows exposing the San Bernardino Mountains and crystal-clear blue skies. I could be at work in a city, with the finest musicians and nature in view – a land of no compromise.
San Bernadino
Los Angeles has the permission of newness, the experimentation of residential architecture, perfect weather for lush gardens, and a new embrace of contemporary arts and design. The weather allows for the great breakdown of indoor and outdoor spaces and retail architecture now is often left ‘unfinished.’ The rebirth of Broadway and the downtown has bridged the pedestrian area with the obsession of the car culture.
Los Angeles has the permission of newness, the experimentation of residential architecture, perfect weather for lush gardens, and a new embrace of contemporary arts and design.
The Mayor Eric Garcetti has been progressive, in addressing racial equality and social equity by connecting neighbourhoods, supporting the resurgence of cultural districts as destinations, supporting arts and culture for all, tackling environmental sustainability by emphasising public transportation in a city of cars.
Richard Meier employed several white materials in making up the numerous pavilions of gallery, library and study centres that make up the ‘museum.’ They are scattered at asymmetrical positions, connected by outdoor spaces that act as museum extensions or grand outdoor foyers. Fantastical gardens are designed by artist Robert Irwin and guide the visitors down the hill towards extraordinary views of the Pacific Ocean.
Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks with urban wilderness areas in the United States. Situated in the eastern Santa Monica mountain range, the park’s elevations range from 384 to 1,625 feet above sea level. Home to the Conservatory in James Dean’s Rebel without a Cause, the Hollywood sign, hiking and horseback trails – it feels most natural and also most like one is on a back lot.
Movie set? Gallery? Restaurant? Home? Industrial shed? Concert venue? All of the above. Contemporary arts in L.A is redefined here.
Frank Ghery’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It connected the Music Center (home to LA Opera, Mark Taper Forum) to MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) and inspired the Broad Museum to further fill in the cultural district. Its commitment inspired the Broadway redevelopment, the Grand Central Market, and a rebirth to Downtown.
Lastly, Silverlake, an area that showcases a love for mid-century refurbishment and the appreciation of California design that brought design elegance to the ‘small’ 2-3 bedroom home and walled gardens.
Los Angeles Central Library for its rotunda, its 1926 architecture, the gardens, and courtyard oasis in the concrete centre of downtown.
Grant Street Market for gourmet-to-go or perch.
Millennium Biltmore for classic Hollywood glamour.
Griffith Park hikes.
Studying at Special Collection & Library of the Getty Museum.
Birthplace to concept stores; who can choose?!
The Pacific Ocean at sunset – facing west.
By chance, there are individuals from every period in my life who now live there, and each time I live or visit, it is like I am coming home.
Sherry Dobbin, Futurecity
Sherry is a partner at Futurecity, leading cultural strategy and arts commissioning in the international public realm across four continents. Sherry is a fluid-thinker and cultural advocate who is interested in furthering new approaches to how arts intersect with our daily lives. London-based. American born. Times Square tested. Internationally Distributed.
