AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT
July 29, 2025

Beyond the Blueprint: Designing Los Angeles with Heart for the Next Century

*Written By Will Wright – Director of Government and Public Affairs, AIA Los Angeles

As architects, designers, and urbanists, we are driven by a relentless curiosity—forever peering into what’s possible, imagining futures not yet seen. Too often, however, our gaze is limited to the scale of the next project, the next few years. What if we dared to look further? With a spirit of optimism, what if we expanded our horizon to envision a 100-year future for Los Angeles?

Just as today’s city bears little resemblance to the Los Angeles of 1925—reshaped by the rise of the automobile and the freeway era—the Los Angeles of 2125 will be dramatically different from what we know now. So, we must ask: What kind of future do we want to shape?

What will become of the vast asphalt expanses surrounding Dodger Stadium? Will they transform into sprawling parklands, a wilderness preserve and biodiversity ‘hot spot’, a dense and thriving mixed-use community, another version of Century City, a hybrid that acknowledges both ecological restoration and cultural memory, or perhaps even a combination of all the above that thoughtfully re-engages with its complex past? This is more than an academic exercise. It is an invitation to reimagine our city with courage and compassion. To draw not one blueprint, but many, that evolve with us over time—and to design a Los Angeles that is resilient, equitable, and deeply inspiring.

 

Facing Our Challenges, Fostering Our Hope

Los Angeles, a global beacon of creativity, stands at a pivotal juncture. We face a converging “polycrisis”: the undeniable realities of climate change, a deeply entrenched housing and homelessness crisis, aging infrastructure struggling to keep pace, chaotic and uncertain federal policy, and a fiscal crisis locally imperilling effective investment in economic development strategies. These crises are not abstract—they are felt in the fires that scar our hillsides, in the struggle to find stable housing, in our daily commute. Meanwhile, our profession is transforming under the pressures of technological disruption and economic uncertainty. The need for long-term, visionary thinking has never been more urgent.

My own journey into architecture began not in a studio but in a tree. At nine years old, perched in a magnolia, I marveled at a locust shell clinging to the bark—a window into a miniature world teeming with life. That early moment of awe sparked a lifelong belief: the built and natural worlds are not separate. They are deeply entwined. That sense of wonder—and the awareness of fragility—guides my commitment to shaping places that nurture both people and ecosystems.

Our infrastructure—bridges, railways, sidewalks, affordable housing, tree canopies, and wild habitats—must do more than function. It must support human connection, cultural vitality, and environmental healing. Every public dollar spent should multiply in social and ecological return.

 

Designing with Urgency and Empathy

While the housing crisis is daunting, it is also a profound opportunity for transformation. Over the past decade, our Design for Dignity conferences have surfaced actionable solutions—many still awaiting implementation. We must reimagine permitting systems to enable creativity and speed, with agencies acting as collaborators rather than gatekeepers. We already know how to move swiftly in times of disaster. Why not bring that same urgency and empathy to our housing response?

Imagine if we treated homelessness with the same rapid mobilization as wildfire recovery. A streamlined, by-right approval process for housing that provides dignified shelter within 90 days is not a dream—it’s a moral imperative. This includes embracing new housing typologies, denser infill, urban growth boundaries, green infrastructure, “kit-of-parts” ADUs, and a stronger embrace of housing as an essential human right, supported by universal housing choice vouchers and a ‘yes to all’ approach.

But shelter is only the beginning. What if our city made health and joy unavoidable outcomes of daily life? I dream of Los Angeles stitched together by urban hiking trails, sky gondolas gliding above neighborhoods, and lush corridors connecting people to nature. These are not fantasies—they are glimpses of a city aligned with its people and planet. A city where our footsteps leave room for life to thrive, and where nature is not just preserved, but invited back in.

 

Leading with Heart, Building for Generations

As an Angeleno, I am inspired by the opportunity to center design excellence on justice, culture, and collective healing. Our profession can be a powerful force for good—championing equity, harnessing emerging technologies like blockchain for transparent project delivery, and building bridges across social and ideological divides.

This is a defining moment for architecture. We have the unique ability to translate complexity into clarity, to find coherence amid chaos, and to design futures that inspire hope. Let’s lean into our superpowers—not just to respond, but to lead. To listen more deeply. To build more justly. And to dream more bravely.

Let us, together, commit to a vision of Los Angeles that flourishes across generations—a city rooted in care, built for resilience, and powered by an unwavering belief in what is possible when we lead with heart.

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*Disclaimer: The advice and perspectives shared in this letter belong to the author and should not be considered official recommendations from AIA Los Angeles.


Shape LA’s Future: Join the 2025 AIA|LA City Leaders Breakfast Series!

Connect directly with the civic leaders transforming Los Angeles.

The AIA|LA City Leaders Breakfast Series offers a unique opportunity for architects, designers, and community stakeholders to engage in intimate roundtable discussions with key decision-makers. Share innovative ideas to foster a healthy, sustainable, equitable, inclusive, and economically prosperous future for all.

Why Attend?

  • Direct Engagement: Meet and converse with top civic leaders shaping our built and natural environment.
  • Influence & Impact: Contribute your insights on critical issues like economic development, climate, urban design, and land-use policy.
  • Networking: Connect with peers and leaders in a collaborative, inspiring setting.

2025 Confirmed Breakfast Receptions:

May 2025

August 2025

September 2025

October 2025

AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED.

Please make plans to attend one (or more) of these inspirational receptions!






> AIA CA Collective Action for Wildfire Recovery

The AIA LA & LACP Professional Volunteer Program (PVP)

Architects & designers passionate about improving the design quality of newly proposed projects throughout the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to participate in the Professional Volunteer Program (PVP), which is a collaborative design review program organized by AIA LA & Los Angeles City Planning (LACP)’s Urban Design Studio.

This year, we will be coordinating thirty-one virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angeles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout our City.

July 15 (10am)

Aug 5 (10am)

Aug 12 (10am)

Aug 19 (10am)

RSVP HERE (virtual on zoom)

Design Review Sessions w/ LACP Urban Design Studio 2025

UNPLAN LA_Transitional Height

 

 


 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org