Student Workshop

Los Angeles faces a pressing housing shortage, with an estimated deficit of 240,000 beds. In response, the City’s Adaptive Reuse Ordinance has encouraged the conversion of existing building stock – 15 years and older – into public housing. 

The Los Angeles County Hall of Records, co-designed by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander, offers a compelling opportunity to preserve and extend its legacy as a steward of technological and architectural innovation.

The vision is to transform the civic building into a 200-unit market-rate housing development while maintaining its historic significance.  

Students who participate in the 2026 Student Workshop will consider:  

• Is such a transformation truly feasible, and at what cost – both materially and culturally?  

• What values are at stake in the adaptation of a building originally designed for a very different purpose? 

• How far can we go in modifying a historic structure before its identity is compromised?  

• More broadly, how can the evolution of a building toward a new function remain compatible with its architectural and historical essence – and to what extent?  

• To what degree do the environmental and climatic design solutions originally conceived for a public building prove to be not only relevant but essential for housing today? 

About

Docomomo International Student Workshops offer a dynamic platform for students to engage with new experiences, ideas, and skills.

These workshops represent a key opportunity to explore and debate innovative educational strategies for the preservation of modern cultural heritage, while embracing the underlying values and principles of the Modern Movement.

Rooted in Docomomo’s core missions – DOcumentation, COnservation – the workshops address critical challenges in preserving modern cultural heritage through hands-on learning and reflective dialogue. They provide an inclusive space to interpret modern heritage in all its complexity, equipping participants with the tools to recognize its significance and maintain its authenticity. The workshops promote collaborative discussion on how best to safeguard its intrinsic values and historical integrity within a broader cultural context.

Participation

Students who have completed at least two years of undergraduate or graduate studies are welcome to participate. PhD candidates may register as tutors or assistants.

Students enrolled in an architecture related program including historic preservation, planning and sustainability are encouraged to participate. If you are enrolled in another program such as architectural history, please feel free to register and explain your interest in participating.

Professors interesting in participating individually or as a group with students are also encouraged to register for the student workshop.

Registration

Student teams will be created based on a mix of skills and background. In order for a good group composition, applicants are asked to provide:

• A brief academic CV,

• Their knowledge of heritage/conservation-related topics,

• Any relevant prior experiences,

• And importantly, their personal expectations and motivations for joining the workshop.

Student registration: $650.00 USD

Includes workshop registration, IDC registration, five (5) daily lunches, supplies and shared accommodations for five (5) days.

Tutor registration: Complementary

Includes five (5) daily lunches and supplies. IDC registration is additional.