MIT's James Wescoat partners in Pakistan on a critical issue: Water /June 30, 2016 by Studio MIIM

Irrigated plains of the Punjab province in Pakistan, viewed from a Mughal tower in Sheikhpura Distric

The historic gardens of the Mughal Empire in India and Pakistan first drew James Wescoat to the Indus Basin four decades ago. A landscape architect and professor in the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture in the MIT Department of Architecture, Wescoat has returned to the region many times for research that spans studies of 17th-century waterworks and 21st-century water systems, policy analyses, and multilateral water agreements.

His partners in Pakistan include the new Centre for Water Informatics and Technology (WIT) of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). “WIT has devised innovative canal management and data transmission technologies that monitor water flows precisely and in real time,” says Wescoat, who chairs the WIT Advisory Group. “WIT’s pioneering systems can revolutionize water management.”

Read a profile of Wescoat at MIT News.

IN SUPPORT OF TRUJILLO ADOBE JOIN US at the TAMALE FESTIVAL 🫔 🫔 🫔 The Trujillo Adobe is more than just an old building—it is one of Riverside’s most enduring links to its early history. Built around 1862, this structure predates the city itself and stands as one of the oldest remaining buildings in the region. Officially recognized by the State of California in 1968 as a site of historical significance, the Adobe is a rare and irreplaceable piece of Southern California’s cultural fabric. This site tells layered stories of settlement, displacement, and resilience. In the 1840s, landowners in Alta California invited Spanish-speaking settlers—including individuals of Spanish, Mexican, and Native American descent—to inhabit lands in Rancho Jurupa and San Bernardino. Among them was Lorenzo Trujillo, a genízaro from Abiquiú, New Mexico—a Native American who was taken captive as a child and baptized into Spanish colonial society. Trujillo and the ten families he led established Agua Mansa and La Placita de los Trujillos, among the earliest non-native settlements along the Santa Ana River. Though floods in 1862 swept away much of the original communities, they rebuilt—and the home that Trujillo’s sons constructed still stands today. But time, and unchecked industrial growth, have brought it to the brink. PRESERVING THE TRUJILLO ADOBE IS ABOUT HONORING STORIES, STRUGGLES AND SURVIVAL. PROTECTING THIS SITE IS AN ACT OF STEWARDSHIP - FOR HISTORY, FOR CULTURE, AND FOR THE COMMUNITIES. @rivtamalefest @cityofriverside @riversideartmuseum @uscmhc @inlandia_institute

#eidmubarak #eidalfitr

Wearable Nowruz - Sabzeh Vest. #نوروز Nowruz, “New Day”, is the holiest and most joyful festival of the Zoroastrian year. It is also its focal point, to which all other high holy days relate. #office #nowruz #miimdesigns #wip #نوروز

LA Fires Recovery: How to Save Your Trees Did you know that you can preserve trees on your property after the LA fires? LA County and the Army Corps have issued tree waivers, allowing homeowners to protect their valuable trees. Here's what you need to know: 1. Act Fast: When contacted by contractors, communicate your decision to preserve trees through the "RIGHT of ENTRY PROCESS." 2. Submit Documentation: Send forms, waivers, diagrams, and lists of trees to be preserved to the Army Corp contractors, ideally before they call. 3. Get Help: Need assistance with diagrams or finding an arborist? MIIM Designs can help! Check LINK IN BIO helpful PDF and more information. Let's work together to restore our beautiful landscape! 🌳 #lafires #treepreservation #environmentalconservation #altadena #altadenastrong #saveourtrees #californiafires #ecofriendly #sustainableliving #climateaction #natureconservation #greenliving #urbanforestry #arborist #MIIMDesigns

UPDATE: Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends: We wanted to update you regarding where MIIM’s operation stands during the ongoing fires that are taking place across Los Angeles and Southern California. First, your companies’ health and welfare, as well as that of our community and staff, is a top priority for us. Prior to the pandemic, MIIM has had a robust technology platform that allowed us to provide seamless service to all clients anywhere, anytime. The MIIM Team met this morning and will continue to meet online to go through project goals, deadlines, and priorities. We continue to meet with all teams to ensure the proper flow of operation and information in order to meet deadlines. Our priority is to ensure as little disruption to your projects, as we can accommodate the safety from these fires that are spreading because of the Santa Ana winds. Employee safety and wellness is a top priority, and we have implemented a firm-wide response plan. We have protocols and safety measures for tragedies like these. Every employee has the support platform- BIM/communication - to resume work from home, until the state of emergency has been lifted. We intend to attend meetings via video, or phone calls; should an in-person meeting be required please let us know - but for the safety of your own health, the welfare of our first responders and clearance to access roads, we ask you to also stay indoors. That said, we respect that each employee has their own comfort level and we will allow them to act accordingly. In addition, we are so grateful to everyone. Thank you for your messages and calls to our office. The air is thick and the smoke from the fires is damaging to everyone's eyes, nose and throat. Climate change is real and we are living through it. We are sensitive to the uncertainty that everyone may be feeling and we are committed to getting through this period together. With respect, safety and health! Maryam + MIIM Team. @mutualaidla Mutual Aid of Los Angeles has put together a google sheet with available shelter and animal center information. #eatonfire #palisadesfire #hurstfire #stateofemergency

We are kicking off the spring season with #chaharshanbesoori and the Persian New Year #nowruz with exciting updates on the project that we are working on with @purplemuseum As we are working on the developing the project make sure to join in and celebrate the festivities: https://www.cdm.org/celebrate/community-celebrations/nowruz/ This event is part of a Museum-led three-year planning project to develop an exhibition and annual cultural event celebrating the holiday Nowruz. JUMPING OVER THE FIRE In the 16th and 17th centuries at the moment the Nowruz was called, there was huge commotion: Firecrackers, muskets and cannons were fired, and bands played music. Shouts of joy filled the air and wild rue (isfand) was sprinkled into the fire so that the air would smell pleasant. As early as a century ago, Nowruz was celebrated on the last Wednesday before the New Year by lighting bonfires. People would jump over these fires while saying “my yellowness to you and your redness to me.” This phrase symbolized the letting go of ailments (“my yellowness”) and the invitation to good health (“your redness to me”). @_miimdesigns @purplemuseum @beshkandance @nioshadanceacademy @iraniandiasporastudies @iranianstanfordalumni @stanfordpsa @allianceforiranianstudents @iranian.students.ca @parsequality

Flying into #LAX for #frieze and the #Oscars? Make sure to look out the window while on the @delta runway. #MIIMDesigns #WIP “Land locked at one of the prominent spaces of Southern California, El Segundo is one of the main cities that one witnesses upon their arrival. Filled with a rich historical context of a land that was previously owned by corn farmers, later turned into a refinery town, through Chevron. We ask ‘How do we want the future gateway, for the city of El Segundo, to be representative of the community? And, how do we create: Wayfinding, Community, and Ownership?’ We strongly believe that the combination of strategic planning, creative programming and thoughtful transformation of the site will bring a renewed sense of relevance to this gateway.” – Maryam Eskandari #MIIMDesigns #WIP @friezeofficial #friezla

"FILL IN THE MIDDLE" MIIM Designs has been collaborating with many policymakers, lawmakers and senators on the issue of lack of affordable housing, which has long been a problem for middle and low-income households. The primary goal over the last 7 years has been that California can, and should, look to innovative programs across the country for models to inform future policy efforts to address the state’s housing challenges. Using examples and case studies from religious institutions of the Middle East, Asia, and parts of Europe, the SB 4 and SB423 will allow for religious institutions and nonprofit colleges in California to turn their parking lots and other properties into low-income housing. Churches and colleges often face big hurdles trying to convert their surplus land and underutilized parking lots into housing because their land is not zoned for residential use. Proponents said the new law will serve as another tool to help build much-needed housing in the state. A recent study by the University of California, Berkeley, Terner Center for Housing Innovation estimated California religious and higher education campuses have more than 170,000 acres (68,797 hectares) of land that would be eligible under the bill. The law, signed by Gov. @gavinnewsom rezones land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. Starting in 2024, they can bypass most local permitting and environmental review rules that can be costly and lengthy. The law is set to sunset in 2036. #MIIMDesigns #california #LosAngeles #sb #sb4 #sb423 #gavinnewsom

FROM TODAYS @fieldoffice_workshops Sayes Court John Evelyn FRS established his garden at Sayes Court in 1653. Over the next 30 years he laid out his innovative designs, bringing ideas from the Continent and plants from around the world, using the garden as a setting for his experiments and research. The garden was famous in his own day, and the texts which he wrote from his research. 200 years later, when John Evelyn’s garden had long since faded away, his descendant was concerned by the appalling living conditions in Industrial London. W J Evelyn decided to create a public park on the site of Sayes Court, to provide a place of beauty and fresh air for the people of Deptford in perpetuity. Through his discussions with Octavia Hill, this project at Sayes Court led to the formation of the National Trust. Only a portion of Sayes Court Park still exists: the remains of the manor house, the site of John Evelyn’s garden and the rest of the former Park now lie within the boundary of Convoys Wharf. The approaching development plans bring the opportunity to reclaim this land for the public, to create an experimental 21st Century garden and a cutting edge building to act as a centre of research, education and enterprise.

We are pleased to announce that Maryam Eskandari will be one of the collaborators with The Field Office Workshops for founding and supporting new site-specific practices. The workshops are to develop new forms of grounded practices, from innovative digital methods to alternative approaches to design. Collaborators work with landscapes that have impacted change, recognizing that new situated approaches are needed to address emerging challenges, from community action to climate justice. Employing combinations of digital technologies, material techniques, and social methods, the workshops aim to forge new landscape relations from the ground up. Following Donna Haraway, the workshops argue for “politics and epistemologies of location, positioning, and situating, where partiality and not universality is the condition of being heard to make rational knowledge claims.” [1] [1] Haraway, Donna. 1988. ‘Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective.’ Feminist Studies vol. 14, nr. 3, pp 575-599. #fieldofficeworkshops #sitespecific #situated #futurepractices

As the clock struck midnight on August 15, 1947, celebratory shouts of freedom from colonial rule were drowned out by the cries of millions frantically making their way through the corpse-littered landscape of nascent India and Pakistan. After more than one hundred years of British East India Company rule and an additional 90 years of the British Raj, the Indian subcontinent had finally achieved Independence. What should have been a moment of crowning triumph after years of anti-colonial struggle was indelibly marred by unimaginable violence and bloodshed. Up to two million people lost their lives in the most horrific of manners. The darkened landscape bore silent witness to trains laden with the dead, decapitated bodies, limbs strewn along the sides of roads, and wanton rape and pillaging. Memories of tragedy and celebration mark the 76th anniversary of Independence from British Raj in #India , #Pakistan and #Bangladesh . Through excerpts of oral histories preserved in The @1947partition Archive, #throughlinenpr #throughline done by @asma_journo @uscshoahfoundation and the generous research grant by @us_imls ; @_miimdesigns will use design as a tool and explore the darkened landscape that bore witness to India’s cultural legacy being divided. We will investigate the role of history, politics, religion, racial and class division that resulted in 2Million deaths and 14Million refugees. Within the built environment, architecture + landscape architecture has been said to perform as a mnemonic device. Other important dates (via @1947archive) for #1947Partition: August 13- Radcliffe Line was finalized August 14- Pakistan’s Independence Day August 15- India’s Independence Day August 17- Radcliffe Line was made public. #india #1947 #1947partition #history #california #miimdesign

To gain a better understating of the roles that both architects and landscape architects play in creating an equitable resilient future, we have to rethink the foundation of ecological education and learn to design critically in the way that the original care-takers of our land, the indigenous tribes, have done by invoking and designing consciously for the next seven generations[1]. In theory, architecture should be designing, building and developing through landscape urbanism and developing the urban environment by shrinking city sprawls and suburbanization and cultivating stewardship through social-ecological transformations that reestablish human-ecosystem relationships. The case study presented above, researched the damage caused by a developer in 2008 where they illegally cut down more than 300 Coast Live Oaks for residential development. Through the partnership between @_miimdesigns and @ca_conserve @nature_org . We began our exploration in the summer of 2020 by asking critical questions about the Mediterranean biome, which is among the most imperiled globally[2] and is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, with high endemic species diversity and endangerment. Initial investigations examined the preserve in order to establish a baseline of understanding through the lens of ecological urbanism. Coast Live Oaks provide evergreen, drought tolerant and fire-resistant mainstay in Dangermond Preserve’s woodlands. They grow in the Uplands, by the Coast and on slopes aspects. Their phytoremediation within their area above and below the soil are important for keystone species. These Oak woodlands are hope to honeysuckles, sages, 23 species of native grasses and even poison oaks – all will play a key role in which the flora and fauna depend on them. While acorn production varies year by year, the animals that depend on them for food, in a reciprocal relationship, help distribute the seeds all across the Preserve. #MIIMDesigns #TNC #Nature #Climatechange #Climate #Earth #Planet #Architecture #California #SantaBarbara #Mapping #Digrams #UrbanPlanning #Site #ArchitectureDesign #Archilovers #archdaily

Red + Blue kinda day. . . . #Miimdesigns #architecture #designer #architect #design #imadethis #midcenturymodern #WIP #next_top_architects #nexttoparchitects #superarchitects #eichler #california #paloalto #stanford #stanforduniversity #franklloydwright

Gable House, Cupertino, 2022. The series of roof study drawings were part of the early research for this residential project. We explored the history of Mid-Century Modern architectural components that took over the typical suburbs of California, their evolution and construction and how to integrate the existing with new. #miimdesigns #cupertino #midcenturymodern #california #july #summer #louiskahn #nyc #alvarosiza #siliconvalley #stanford #google #instagood #wip

HIRING!! See contact section of our website https://www.miimdesigns.com/contact #miimdesigns #architect #hiring #internship #architecture #urbanism #design #work

The New Day Initiative (NDI) is a planning grant proposal to lay the groundwork for the “Nowruz Around the World” exhibition for children and families about the ancient Persian festival of Nowruz. This exhibition holds potential to build connections among the many nationalities and cultures that trace their heritage to Persian roots, while also educating others about Persian culture. CDM has partnered with a nationally-known designer of cultural exhibitions, @_miimdesigns MIIM Designs llc, to engage our region’s diverse communities in design/development of an authentic, experiential 2,500 sf traveling exhibition highlighting what it means to be Persian through the festival of Nowrooz.

Posted @withregram • @ca_conserve @miim_esk @nature_org Capstone Studio -- TNC Dangermond Capstone Studio: SACRED WATER, SACRED GROUNDS This studio is in collaboration with The Nature’s Conservancy – Dangermond Preserve and the main initiative will be an expanding on the design concepts and questions that were developed on rewilding the ecosystem, honoring the history and cultural implications of the Native Chumash tribes and building on the lessons learned from ecological education. This studio will explore themes of connectivity, resilience, and landscape infrastructure through the lens of wildlife, amphibians, pollinators and microbes. This an attempt to re-establish lost connections, re-embrace the living world, and reengage us as social and urban and environmental creatures. ••• The #DangermondPreserve is creating a platform for education and inspiration. This winter, we had the opportunity to host Cal Poly Pomona's Landscape Architecture capstone studio class (@cpp.tnc_danger) that is focused on creating a place at the preserve that would actively restore and remediate the land. Through research and design, they will cultivate a stewardship through social-ecological transformations that reestablish human-ecosystems against climate change and loss of functional diversity in the Anthropocene. This group of fourth years is led by instructor Maryam Eskandari (@_miimdesigns). 📸 @cppla students alongside @cppenv instructor @miim_esk and TNC's Environmental Education Manager, @diegotesaca @tncnaturelab

#wip El Segundo Gateway is the first representation, a symbolic entrance, as to what everything the city represents: engaging, inspiring + playful. Upon landing at #LAX, every visitor, athlete and Angelenos first glimpse of Los Angeles is the city of El Segundo. The El Segundo Gateway, builds on the historical circular walls. The walls, the arms of the city, embrace you when you first arrive. Creating an inclusive movement, representing the cycles of life, that emulates growth. The path directs you towards the west – as the sunsets, reflecting on the future of El Segundo and the future changes and shifting towards the emergence and weaving of sustainability and technology through the celebration of the Blue Butterflies. Given the history of the city, we had to ask: 1/ How do we want the future gateway, for the city of El Segundo, to be representative of the community? 2/ How and Who do we want to be Representing through Wayfinding, Community, and Ownership? #wip #elsegundo #LAX #gateway #landscapedesign #urbandesign #la28 #olympics #losangeles #California #MIIMDesigns #midcenturymodern #modernistarchitecture #modernism #alvarosiza #louiskahn #ilookup #friday #weekend

#wip El Segundo Gateway is the first representation, a symbolic entrance, as to what everything the city represents: engaging, inspiring + playful. Upon landing at #LAX, every visitor, athlete and Angelenos first glimpse of Los Angeles is the city of El Segundo. The El Segundo Gateway, builds on the historical circular walls. The walls, the arms of the city, embrace you when you first arrive. Creating an inclusive movement, representing the cycles of life, that emulates growth. The path directs you towards the west – as the sunsets, reflecting on the future of El Segundo and the future changes and shifting towards the emergence and weaving of sustainability and technology through the celebration of the Blue Butterflies. Given the history of the city, we had to ask: 1/ How do we want the future gateway, for the city of El Segundo, to be representative of the community? 2/ How and Who do we want to be Representing through Wayfinding, Community, and Ownership? #wip #elsegundo #lax #gateway #landscapedesign #urbandesign #la28 #olympics #losangeles #California #MIIMDesigns #midcenturymodern #modernistarchitecture #modernism #alvarosiza #louiskahn #ilookup #friday #friendship #weekend

Some #WIP images of our El Segundo Gateway project - Gateway to El Segundo | LA2028 Olympics El Segundo Gateway is the first representation, a symbolic entrance, as to what everything the city represents: engaging, inspiring + playful. Upon landing at #LAX, every visitor, athlete and Angelenos first glimpse of Los Angeles is the city of El Segundo. The El Segundo Gateway, builds on the historical circular walls. The walls, the arms of the city, embrace you when you first arrive. Creating an inclusive movement, representing the cycles of life, that emulates growth. The path directs you towards the west – as the sunsets, reflecting on the future of El Segundo and the future changes and shifting towards the emergence and weaving of sustainability and technology through the celebration of the Blue Butterflies. Given the history of the city, we had to ask: 1/ How do we want the future gateway, for the city of El Segundo, to be representative of the community? 2/ How and Who do we want to be Representing through Wayfinding, Community, and Ownership? El Segundo Gateway, keeping the historical circular point, the arms of the city that embrace you when you first arrive. Creating a circular point, that is inclusive in motion, representing the cycles of life, that emulates growth, change and shifting towards the future of El Segundo and the neighborhoods. The paths direct you to the west – the future of El Segundo, down a runway that emulates LAX. It is a place of gathering. To look up and see the sparkling lights of the planes, fireflies and the ever beautiful El Segundo Blue Butterfly --- it is a place of “Flight" where you go to see the cycle of life, the future and regain hopefulness from the love of the community. #California #LosAngeles #LAX #Miimdesigns @la28games @flylaxairport @olympics @paralympics @lacityparks MIIMTeam: _@_miimdesigns @miim_esk Laury Tom @lulululu_zhu @sean820124 @joshua_ryan__ Jennifer Gonzalez LA + Horticulture: WatsonSalembier

MIIM DESIGNS:

DESIGNING COMMUNITIES and CREATING CULTURE.

MIT's James Wescoat partners in Pakistan on a critical issue: Water /June 30, 2016 by Studio MIIM