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.
Ahead of the 2026 IDC, join students, academic advisors, and industry professionals from around the world, March 12-17, for an immersive workshop to consider adaptive reuse housing options that preserve and extend the legacy of the Los Angeles County Hall of Records, designed by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander.
Rooted in the organization’s core missions of DOcumentation and COnservation, the Workshop offers a compelling opportunity to preserve and extend the legacy of the Los Angeles County Hall of Records as a steward of technological and architectural innovation.
Students 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?
Participants gain comprehensive knowledge of the processes connected with conservation; framed by the conference themes of Climate, Community, and Creativity.
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Climate
Sustainability: Building envelope performance
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Community
Housing and public space connection – challenges and tasks
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Creativity
Building surface as didactic public art
Venues
The Student Workshop sessions and final presentations will be hosted at the University of Southern California (USC), School of Architecture in Watt Hall, just south of Downtown Los Angeles. Participants will conduct site visits to the Neutra Office in Silverlake as well as the Hall of Records.
Schedule
Students will work closely with a group of academic advisors and industry professionals over the course of five days as they visit the Neutra office for orientation, conduct a site visit to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records, and participate in work sessions at USC.
The workshop culminates with presentations addressing the challenge of transforming the civic building into a 200-unit market-rate housing development while maintaining its historic significance.
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Workshop orientation at the Neutra office in Silverlake
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Workshop site visit to Hall of Records
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Workshop at USC – work session focused on building analysis
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Workshop at USC – work session focused on design proposals
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Workshop at USC – preparation for final presentations
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Student presentations at USC
Participation
Student teams will be created based on a mix of skills and background. To ensure well-balanced group composition, applicants are asked to provide:
A brief academic CV
Their knowledge of heritage/conservation-related topics
Any relevant prior experiences
And importantly, personal expectations and motivations for joining the workshop
Academic Requirements
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 who are interested in participating individually or as a group with students are also encouraged to register for the student workshop.
Registration
Students: $650 USD*
*Includes workshop registration, IDC registration, five (5) daily lunches, supplies, and shared accommodations for five (5) days at the Freehand Hotel.
Tutors: Complimentary*
*Includes five (5) daily lunches and supplies. IDC registration is additional.
Accommodations
Student Workshop registration includes five (5) nights of shared accommodations at the Freehand Hotel in downtown LA.
Freehand Hotel
416 W 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Room rate: from $52/night*
*Rooms are subject to state and local taxes (currently 16.2%) and must be booked by Monday, February 23, 2026 to receive the preferred rate.
