TIME FRAME

2011

LOCATION

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

SERVICE PROVIDED

Events & Festivals

Educational Programs & Conferences

Events & Festivals

Little Tokyo Design Week

Little Tokyo Design Week: Future City celebrated the power and energy of cutting edge design and technology emerging from Japan and its intersection with current trends materializing in Los Angeles.  Design's ability to move us towards a more sustainable and creative urban lifestyle was at the heart of this five-day festival, July 13 - July 17, 2011. 

Southern California has long been a leader in innovation, high tech industry, and experimental thinking and Little Tokyo, one of downtown LA's most sought-after districts, was ripe to have served as a testing ground to re-evaluate existing lifestyles and re-think the future of urbanism in Los Angeles and beyond.

Spanning the geographic breadth of Little Tokyo, Future City presented a series of programs that integrated Little Tokyo's Big Three cultural institutions (Japanese American National Museum (JANM), Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), and the MOCA Geffen, community partners, retailers, and restaurants. Throughout the festival, symposia featuring progressive talent in the fields of design, technology, and the environment were sited throughout the many interesting meeting and plaza spaces of Little Tokyo. A Pecha Kucha night (a series of presentations of 20 slides, each shown in 20 seconds), an outdoor film screening, a fashion-inspired outdoor party, product demonstrations, design and student exhibitions, music, and awards ceremonies rounded out Future City's exciting schedule. 

Little Tokyo Design Week: Future City was a collaboration between Hitoshi Abe, Chair, UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design & Principal, Atelier Hitoshi Abe; Jon Kaji, President, Kaji & Associates / Nikkei Center; Community Arts Resources; and the Little Tokyo Design Week Steering Committee.