LA Garage Works is the result of the overlap of two programs: arts and vocational trade education. Art students will be able to develop their creative skills while also learning a practical trade, while vocational students will be able to engage with artistic methods of manufacturing, thus honing and elevating their craft. The core of the project is the Garage, a multipurpose maker space both used and operated by the students as part of their education. The Garage hosts a wide range of tools and equipment typical of a workshop but also functions as the primary exhibition and gathering space of the building. Taking as precedent the smaller scale residential backyard garage, the space is intended to play host to the surrounding community. It will function simultaneously as a place of creation, education, production, gathering, and hospitality.
What does gathering in an informal setting look like? Often front yards and backyards are places for guests to welcome visitors and to socialize. Frequently, they are often places of production and creation too. Garages often host workshops, auto-body repair, home studio, and even band practice. Could these informal settings for socializing and working also be considered as places for exhibition?
