Event Details

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: John Sowden House (Los Feliz)
5121 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90027

Limited street parking available.

Cornell alumni are invited to Jjin MIT alumni and friends for a dinner reception and special talk by MIT Professor Mark Jarzombek entitled, Petra Jordan, Hydro-Engineering Marvel of the 1st Century CE.”  [Register]

Cost for Cornell Alumni:
$45 with the promo code “PETRA2017” for Cornell alumni club members.  It is one discount per registration, so if there are two or more separate registrations should be used to take advantage of the $10 discount with the code.

Register here REGISTRATION ENDS SEPT. 27

From MIT Architecture:
Mark Jarzombek, MIT professor of the history and theory of architecture, works on a wide range of topics from the 12th century to the modern era.

He is one of the country’s leading advocates for global history and has published several books and articles on that topic, including the ground-breaking textbook entitled A Global History of Architecture (Wiley Press, 2006) with co-author Vikram Prakash and with the noted illustrator Francis D.K. Ching. He is the sole author of Architecture of First Societies: A Global Perspective (Wiley Press, 2013), which is a sensitive synthesis of first society architecture through time and includes custom-made drawings, maps and photographs. The book builds on the latest research in archeological and anthropological knowledge while at the same time challenging some of their received perspectives. Jarzombek is currently working on a book that interrogates the digital/global imaginaries that shape our lives. A chapter from that book has recently been published. Digital Stockholm Syndrome in the Post-Ontological Age (University of Minnesota Press, 2016).

The event will be held at the John Sowden house in Los Feliz, graciously offered to us by new owners Jennifer Landers and Dan Goldfarb ’99.

Sowden house was designed in 1926 by renowned architect, Lloyd Wright, a meticulously renovated neo-Mayan mansion in the heart of modern Hollywood. One of a handful of homes of this pedigree to remain in private hands for the past century, it is a must-see for those into modern architecture, but few have had the opportunity, until now.

Infamous for its distinctive design and colorful history, the Sowden House has hosted everything from photoshoots and non-profit events to films and TV shows. There are even suspicions that the house might hold the key to the notoriously unsolved “Black Dahlia” murder case of 1947. Originally designed for open-air gatherings and musical performances, the Sowden House remains a distinctive showplace that evokes a sense of mystery and exoticism.

After a casual buffet-style dinner, the presentation will begin at approximately 7:15 pm.  Wine and refreshments will be provided throughout the evening.

Contact Information, Primary Contact: Anu Sood, 310-803-7280 cell/text, anu@cox.net