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This past weekend (5/20/18) marked the closing of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. And it coincides with the end of our coverage as well. Following are our final three conversations. I think you will enjoy them. But first, a little bit more about the Pasadena area that you might not be aware of and how this region of Southern California has shaped the way we live and design and it’s probably not what you might be expecting. Pasadena is rich with tradition from the Tournament of Roses parade, it’s 1915 Beaux Arts City Hall and the pomp and grandeur of Colorado Boulevard. But there is a fork in the road in Pasadena. Literally, a giant fork in the road at the intersection of Pasadena and St. John Avenues. Why, who knows. It was erected by two locals with a sense of humor and sticktoitiveness when it was taken down. They got the blessing of the city, bought the insurance, paid for the permits and there it is. From a big fork in the road to living in a bubble. There is the Bubble House. Probably one of the most simple architectural masterpieces anywhere. It’s not exotic, beautiful or remarkable in any way other than in it’s ingenuity. Post World War II, returning GI’s, a blossoming economy and booming society led to a housing shortage, sound familiar? So Wallace Neff came up with an idea. Neff inflated a giant rubber balloon, covered it with wire and gunnite and removed the balloon. What remained, essentially, is an upside down swimming pool. Neff believed he had the solution to the housing crisis at the time, and planned on building over 400,000 bubble houses. Short of 3,000 ever made it and the final one resides in Pasadena. The Bubble House was home to Neff until his death in 1982. I would like to think that this idea still has merit today. An 18 foot high fork in the road and a bubble house in historical Pasadena. Who knew. Know you do.
It’s a little bittersweet that this will be the last podcast episode of the 2018 pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. This episode features Benefits Chair, Vikki Sung who is going to share historical reference and the process for participating in the project. After that s a very fun look at the treehouse on the property. You really are going o love this. Finally, we speak with one of my favorite designers, Jeanne Chung. If not familiar with Jeanne, check out her work and listen to her perspective and you’ll see why I’m such a fan. All that is coming up, but first, I want to make sure you know that you can still find all of the videos of the Pasadena Showcase AND we will continue to produce new videos and post them to the YouTube channel @ConvoByDesign, you can also go to www.ConvoByDesign.com and you will find them there as well. If you happen to find yourself on our YouTube channel or our iTunes page, please leave us a review and a 5 star rating. It helps new listeners find the show and it is very much appreciated.
Music provided by Electric Sol
Artist: Electric Sol
Song: Your Love Makes Me High
www.electricsolmusic.com