Arbitrary Architecture

February 10, 2012 10:48 PM

Apparently Moby has started a blog about architecture in Los Angeles.
posted by mikesch (16 comments total)

Dance music about architecture... no... writing about dancing... help me out here?
posted by poe at 11:03 PM on February 10 [6 favorites]

That's a pretty good topic. Lots of history and amazing architecture in LA. Also, an interesting topic due to the disposable and cookie-cutter aspect of buildings in LA.
posted by Chuffy at 11:04 PM on February 10

Fabuloso! Follow.
posted by IvoShandor at 11:13 PM on February 10

ok, now maybe this is my relatively pointless architecture blog, #5?
oh, to clarify: i’m not saying the architecture is relatively pointless, i’m merely suggesting that my blog is relatively pointless.

Anyway it's strangely interesting. But aren't blogs passe now? Shouldn't he be tweeting or something now?
posted by delmoi at 11:28 PM on February 10

Very cool. I live about a mile from Moby (I'm in the Hollywood Dell) and many of the houses in his blog can be seen from our balcony.

The castle pictured in his most recent entry is sort of a "collective," with about 9 different people renting rooms there, along with a common area. It's a great place for parties, but the parking is (ahem) medieval.
posted by ShutterBun at 11:30 PM on February 10

I've got to say one of my favorite things about cities, especially single-family housing parts of them, is that they're constantly changing and I love finding buildings that are completely out of context, like the "country houses" that moby has found in the middle of the city.

Here in Seattle, often times that's a spanish revival place in the midst of a bunch of bungalows. Or the original farmhouse now sitting in a sea of mid-century split levels put up on the land sold in 1952 to developers. Or a row of brick "tudors" with a single modern home right in the middle. Sometimes you shake your head, sometimes you gasp in wonder, and sometimes you just kind of quietly note how neighborhoods change. I lived in a neighborhood where every other house was a fairly grand craftsman, and between each was a modest mid-century bungalow. The large houses were put up on large lots, and at some point the neighborhood declined, and everyone split their land and pocketed a bit of money. (We lived in the original "fancy" corner house in such a neighborhood, our original lot was split twice, so there were now three houses on a lot intended for one.)

Anyway, hope he keeps it going.
posted by maxwelton at 11:34 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

My favorite LA Architecture resource is this unbelievably epic-length thread on the Skyscraper Page forums. Hundreds of pages of people sharing photos culled from the USC & LA Public Library archives, and apparently still going strong after 2.5 years. There is an amazing narrative flow as you follow the thread as stories are uncovered, sleuthing is undertaken and new information comes to light. You have to remind yourself that the stuff that feels positively ancient and mysterious being dredged up there would count as absurdly recent history in practically any other city, but such is the absurdity and poignancy of LA.
posted by anazgnos at 11:53 PM on February 10 [7 favorites]

Moby + Googie = Great Googly Moogly!!
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 12:27 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

This is a fantastic blog even so far, and I -- for whatever reason -- really enjoy his self-loathing and unassuredness about the future of it. I've always appreciated his candor, in its refreshing you're-not-alone sort of way.

Followed.
posted by june made him a gemini at 12:33 AM on February 11

You know, I was just wondering what Moby thought about architecture in Los Angeles.
posted by Afroblanco at 2:37 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

anazgnos: "My favorite LA Architecture resource is this unbelievably epic-length thread on the Skyscraper Page forums."

Wow. anazgnos, you need to turn that into a FPP!
posted by barnacles at 3:22 AM on February 11

Is it OK to love Moby again? He's got such an interesting persona, somewhere between shy and arrogant. I keep coming back to his music, there's a lot there to enjoy. And projects like this blog are charming.
posted by Nelson at 8:32 AM on February 11

Almost any comment about public figures or culture that contains the word "relevant" is blather, but I'm going to use it anyway: The way to remain relevant is to remain curious. As soon as you give up being interested in the world in favor of preserving your position in it, you stop being interesting yourself.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:42 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

Oh wait til Cube gets wind of this.
posted by cashman at 10:25 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

For real, thank you for that skyscraper page link. I've been in bed sick and bored out of my mind and that is just the sort of time suck I needed.

I can't decide how I feel about the Moby blog. I mean yay he's not trotting out the usual east coast transplant bs. But then part of me is a little cranky because plenty of people not named Moby have been saying the things he's saying for a long time. So, uh, good for him for figuring these things out.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 11:47 AM on February 12

Thanks for posting this. I love it. For the first time ever I want to go to LA. Moby's a great advocate for his city, and he shows a part you don't normally hear about (Castles? You can hike in LA?), and the post about the yellow bungalow explained so clearly why people would want to live there.
posted by DanCall at 12:40 AM on February 13