The Los Angeles Forum For Architecture And Urban Design

What The Los Angeles Forum For Architecture And Urban Design does

The Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, that operates as a public forum for dialogue on architecture, urban design, and the built environment. Its programmatic output consists of a year-round calendar of public events including house tours of architecturally significant modernist residences (e.g., Neutra VDL, Sheats-Goldstein), panel discussions, book and culture celebrations (At Recess), emerging-practitioner series (Soft Landing), international speaker conversations (Under the Influence), and disaster-recovery programming (ALT:town, in response to the Eaton Fire). The organization also produces the monthly Metro Meetup, the DeliriousLA email newsletter (described as the largest architecture and urban design mailing list in Los Angeles), and the Five Places L.A. podcast. It is governed by a volunteer working Board of Directors drawn from principals of LA architecture firms and academics at UCLA, Caltech, and USC.

The organization is community-led and event-driven, with no underlying software platform or proprietary technology stack. Its competitive position rests on access to iconic architectural venues, co-presented programming with institutions such as the MAK Center, Getty, and Caltech, and a network of design professionals, students, and enthusiasts in the Los Angeles area. Revenue is generated through a mix of annual memberships (regular and student tiers), event tickets ranging from free to $100+, corporate and institutional sponsorships, and individual donations, with ticketing and membership administered through the Givebutter platform. The customer base is broadly distributed across individual design professionals, students, architecture enthusiasts, and community residents, with corporate sponsors as a secondary segment.

Name

The Los Angeles Forum For Architecture And Urban Design

Legal name

L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design

Website

https://laforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design is a 1987-founded nonprofit that produces public events, tours, a newsletter, and a podcast to convene Los Angeles's architecture, urban design, and community audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture and Urban Design Community Programming

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Architecture nonprofit programs
• Urban design education
• Architectural house tours
• Design community events
• Public programming architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership program offering access to events, tours, and programming at discounted or free rates. Membership tiers include regular and student options.
2. Event Tickets: Revenue generated from ticketed events including house tours, panel discussions, and special events. Ticket prices range from free to $100+ depending on event type and membership status.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships to support programming. Visible through event sponsorship credits and dedicated sponsorship page.
4. Donations: Individual donations and charitable contributions, with P.O. Box for mailing address and contact through [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design is a nonprofit that convenes dialogue on Los Angeles architecture and urbanism through a year-round calendar of public programs including signature event series (Under the Influence, Soft Landing, At Recess, ALT:town, Metro Meetup, Architecture After Dark), curated house and property tours, an ongoing Interviews series with local practitioners, the DeliriousLA newsletter, and the Five Places L.A. podcast. Membership, ticketed event admission, charitable donations, and corporate sponsorships fund the programming, which is largely produced by a volunteer working Board of Directors drawn from LA's architecture and design communities.

Product overview

The L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design is a nonprofit organization that serves as a public forum for dialogue, networking, and educational programming focused on architecture and urban design in Los Angeles. The organization operates as a single, unified program centered around public events rather than a software platform or modular product suite. Its core offerings include year-round public programming (house tours, panels, discussions, screenings), interview series, the Metro Meetup monthly transit events, the Under the Influence speaker series, the Soft Landing series for emerging practitioners, ALT:town recovery events, At Recess book discussions, the DeliriousLA email newsletter, the Five Places L.A. podcast, membership program, and volunteer Circle of Volunteers. The organization is governed by a working Board of Directors drawn from LA's architecture and design communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual membership program with regular and student tiers providing access to L.A. Forum events, tours, and programming at member pricing, plus community connection with LA's architecture and design professionals.
• Metro Meetup Monthly informal networking event on the last Thursday of each month (6:00–8:00 PM) exploring Los Angeles communities on public transit, connecting attendees with the LA architecture and urban design community in different neighborhoods across the city.
• Under the Influence Series Signature event series of conversations expanding on the concepts of Los Angeles Modernism, convening architects, artists, and designers from around the world at iconic modernist venues such as the Sheats-Goldstein Residence and the Mar Vista Tract.
• Soft Landing Series Series examining how emerging architectural practitioners navigate contemporary constraints including bureaucratic regulations, social and environmental challenges, and post-pandemic practice; held in partnership with Neutra VDL Studio and Residences.
• At Recess Series Series celebrating books, architecture, and urban culture by featuring authors, editors, and designers presenting recent publications and engaging in conversation.
• ALT:town Series Three-part public event series exploring alternative pathways to resilient recovery after the Eaton Fire, with focus on affordable housing, land stewardship, and building practices.
• House and Property Tours Exclusive tours of architecturally significant residential properties in Los Angeles, including modernist homes by Neutra, John Lautner, and Rudolf Schindler, plus themed tours such as the ADU Eastside Tour and the High Desert Home Tour.
• Architecture After Dark Events Ticketed evening architectural tours and events with tiered pricing for non-members ($25), students ($15), and members ($10), featuring visits to significant Los Angeles homes and projects.
• Interviews Series Ongoing interview series started by DeliriousLA and conducted by L.A. Forum members, showcasing important artists, designers, and architects active in the Los Angeles area through in-depth conversations about their work.
• DeliriousLA Newsletter The largest architecture and urban design mailing list in Los Angeles, providing weekly summaries of events by the L.A. Forum and other design community events in the LA area.
• Five Places L.A. Podcast Podcast exploring Los Angeles architecture, design, and urban culture through in-depth conversations with practitioners and community members, co-produced with the L.A. Forum.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USC LA River Modeling LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of 'Reimagining the LA River, Together' event featuring USC Associate Professor Alexander Robinson's research on LA River revitalization. Partnership combines academic research with public programming.
• The Echo SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership presenting 'Chambers' series of salon events combining architecture and music, held in intimate architectural settings around Los Angeles.
• VDL Research HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Neutra VDL Studio and Residences for the 'Soft Landing' series, a program examining how emerging architects practice in today's regulatory environment.
• Neutra VDL Studio and ResidencescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner and supporter for multiple events including Under the Influence series. The iconic Neutra-designed facility serves as a venue for architectural programming.
• Escher GuneWardena ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of Geoffrey Bawa film screening. Ravi GuneWardena, partner at the firm, moderated the post-screening discussion.
• The Neutra Institute of Survival Through DesignminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of Geoffrey Bawa film screening event.
• RE|STRUCTUREDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for architecture and design networking event at Marta Art Gallery, co-presenting 'Defining the World of Architecture & Design' event.
• Metabolic StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for 'Transect of Coexistence' discussion and book presentation at Metabolic Studio's River Lab location.
• Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors / Department of Arts and CultureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional supporter of programming, providing funding acknowledgments for multiple events including Under the Influence series.
• ACCIÓN CULTURAL ESPAÑOLA AC/EminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational cultural institution supporting programming, acknowledged in Under the Influence event support.
• Materials & ApplicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 'Under the Influence 011' event held at Sheats-Goldstein Residence, collaborating on architectural programming.
• Meier St/minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of 'Under the Influence 012' at Meier St/, part of the Mar Vista Tract of Modernique Model Homes.
• Kevin Daly ArchitectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for exclusive architectural tour during Under the Influence 012 event.
• Cover ADUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured firm in ADU Eastside Tour showcasing innovative Accessory Dwelling Unit designs in Los Angeles.
• WTARCHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured firm in ADU Eastside Tour with hillside ADU project on Glendale Boulevard.
• Bunch DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured firm in ADU Eastside Tour with ADU project in Hollywood Grove HPOZ.
• Office Of: OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured non-profit in ADU Eastside Tour, presenting their ADU Pilot Project in partnership with Mayor Garcetti's Innovation Team and Council District 1.
• Assembledge+minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for first 'Chambers' event at their Laurel Hills Residence in Studio City.
• Tim Durfee StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition design partner for PST ART Caltech tour event, with Tim Durfee serving as exhibition designer.
• CaltechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost institution for tour of 'Crossing Over' PST ART exhibition at Caltech campus.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chicago Architecture Center: Chicago nonprofit operating exhibitions, docent-led tours, and public programs on architecture and urbanism. Directly comparable as a city-anchored architecture education and events organization.
• Storefront for Art and Architecture: NYC nonprofit that presents exhibitions and events exploring the intersection of art, architecture, and urbanism. Comparable mission of using programming to provoke public dialogue on built environment issues.
• Center for Architecture (AIA New York): NYC-based nonprofit gallery and programming space for architecture exhibitions, lectures, and K-12 education. Comparable as an architecture-focused nonprofit with public exhibitions and member programming.
• The Architectural League of New York: Independent nonprofit running lectures, exhibitions, and publications on contemporary architecture and urbanism. Closest national peer given its nonprofit membership model, public programs, and content-driven engagement.
• The Architecture Foundation: UK-based nonprofit running public programs, debates, and education on architecture and urbanism. Direct peer in mission and programming format, though geographically distinct.
• AIA Los Angeles: Local chapter of the American Institute of Architects serving LA architects with tours, lectures, and awards programming. Comparable professional-community mission and event formats targeting the same membership base.
• MAK Center for Art and Architecture: Los Angeles-based nonprofit focused on art and architecture exhibitions and public programming. Most direct peer given shared LA geography, architecture focus, and event-driven nonprofit model.

Emerging players

• DOCOMOMO US: US chapter of an international organization dedicated to documenting and preserving modern architecture. Relevant peer given the Forum's emphasis on LA Modernism in its Under the Influence series and Neutra/Lautner house tours.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Land Institute Los Angeles: LA chapter of a global real estate and land-use development organization hosting educational events, tours, and policy forums. Comparable as a membership-based urbanism convener in LA with programming events and sponsorships.

Regional players

• Los Angeles Conservancy: LA-based preservation nonprofit offering walking tours, talks, and advocacy on the city's architectural heritage. Strong regional peer given shared geography, tour-based revenue model, and architecture advocacy mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LAForum_AUD
• Facebookfacebook.com/losangelesforum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/los-angeles-forum-for-architecture-and-urban-design
• Instagraminstagram.com/laforum_aud

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Los Angeles Forum For Architecture And Urban Design