Virtual Design Festival

Live interview with architect Jimenez Lai as part of Virtual Design Festival

Los Angeles architect Jimenez Lai speaks to Dezeen in this Screentime conversation sponsored by Enscape as part of Virtual Design Festival.

Lai, founder of architecture studio Bureau Spectacular, spoke to Dezeen's founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs from Los Angeles.

Bureau Spectacular was named Emerging Architect of the Year at Dezeen Awards in 2018, a title awarded for the best "all-round design excellence over a body of work by an architect or architecture practice that has been in business for 10 years or less".

Bureau Spectacular's built projects include the Frankie Los Angeles store completed in 2016, while conceptual projects include an indoor treehouse based on the writing of philosopher Marc-Antoine Laugier.

The studio participated in Dezeen's P.O.D.System Architecture collaboration with Adidas, responding to a brief to create an architectural concept based on the brand's P.O.D.System shoe with a scale model of a mixed use development that doubles as a toy for cats to climb on.

In 2013, Lai won the inaugural Lisbon Triennale Début Award, presented to an architect under 35 in recognition of an outstanding career so far. Other winners include Spanish studio Bonell + Dòriga and Chilean practice Umwelt.

Jimenez Lai is founder of architecture studio Bureau Spectacular
Jimenez Lai is founder of architecture studio Bureau Spectacular

Other creatives featured in our Screentime series include trend forecaster Li Edelkoortarchitect Dong-Ping WongNew York architecture practice SO-ILThe World Around curator Beatrice Galileefilmmaker Gary Hustwit and British-Israeli architect Ron Arad.

This Screentime conversation is sponsored by Enscape, a virtual reality and real-time rendering plugin for architectural design programme Autodesk Revit.

Virtual Design Festival is the world's first online design festival, taking place from 15 April to 30 June. For more information, or to be added to the mailing list, contact us at [email protected].