KCRW's DnA: Design & Architecture

Simone Manuel's Olympic win has put a spotlight on the history and politics of access to aquatics. Swimming in America has a history of racial exclusion. DnA visited the newly-rebuilt Central Recreation Center Pool in South LA to learn what the City of Los Angeles is doing to create "access and opportunity" for all.

Simone Manuel's Olympic win highlights the politics of access to public swimming pools. We visit a gorgeous, newly-restored pool in South LA and ask if the color barrier to swimming has been lifted. And private murals and public installations are turning the outdoors into a gallery. What's behind the explosion of public art?

If you have visitors in town and you want to show them some art, do you take them to a museum or gallery, or do you head outdoors? Right now the streets are alive with public art, some of it commissioned by the City and Department of Cultural Affairs or by Metro, some of it appearing overnight on walls around town.

A tour of Tesla's new gigafactory, under construction in the Nevada desert and how that intersects with CEO Elon Musk's latest master plan. We compare two Whole Foods stores and a look at the seductive power of supermarket design. And, ceramicist Ben Medansky, talks about the support that followed a fire that destroyed his downtown LA studio.

You've heard the horror stories about this year's Brazil Olympics - from blocked toilets and unfinished infrastructure to toxic water and a political coup. But that's not the full picture. LA-based architecture and engineering company AECOM created the master plan for the Rio Olympics and promises that Brazilians are going to put on a terrific games.

Corruption, toxic waters, building delays… will Brazil's Olympic "nomadic architecture" deliver after a difficult construction process? If running, jumping and swimming are not your thing, you can tune into Rio's eGames. But do gamers really need athletic wear? And Brazilian modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi gets her moment in the sun.

How much is a political convention about the message or the messaging? Simon Doonan explains. Fashion lover Lun*na Menoh makes music with sewing machines. And a tour through projects by Skid Row Housing Trust explores how much good design can alleviate the trauma of homelessness.

Gone are the days of your grandparents' political conventions. Now, these events are carefully designed to dazzle the audience, especially the television audience. And with a reality TV star at the top of the Republican ticket, Donald Trump is sure to produce a spectacle.

Augmented reality, virtual reality and the future of the city: Cleveland's historic Public Square is remade, just in time for speakers not invited to the Republican National Convention. To revamp an old coaster, just add VR goggles. What does the success of Pokémon GO tell us about future cities created by techies? 

Ridership on the Expo Line rose by nearly 60 percent in the month of June compared to April, but average weekday trips continue to decline. Why, and can the trend be reversed by building close to the train stations?

The LA Memorial Sports Arena is nearing demolition, and fans can bid to take a piece of it home. Historian Howard Hugh dishes on architects Philip Johnson and Frank Lloyd Wright’s “frenemy” relationship. Ayahuasca inspires Aaron Axelrod’s installation at Barnsdall Art Park. And an exiled Italian prince is making a splash in LA’s food truck scene.

At nearly a century old, the historic John Anson Ford Theatres complex was in desperate need of repair. After nearly two years for renovations, the amphitheater will reopen on Friday, July 8 with a new stage, lighting, sound insulation, catering and other amenities.

President Obama and the First Lady have chosen Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects to design the presidential library in Chicago. Residents of Silver Lake want their beloved reservoir refilled, the Ford Theatre gets a major facelift, and bike share comes to downtown. And Tesla’s recent auto-pilot crash could mean speed bumps for an LA-based shuttle service that uses self-driving Tesla cars.

The Los Angeles City Council is weighing two separate measures to fund solutions to homelessness. One likely applicant for those funds will be the nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust, which has built supportive housing by some of LA's leading architects. Can good architecture and planning help re-integrate the formerly homeless back into society?

Interventions in the urban fabric: the new Skyslide brings fun to downtown’s financial district. Will it attract more tenants? In Echo Park, a public mini-golf course gives new meaning to an empty site. And British design collective Assemble recently checked out the Coachella Valley. Why?