Stephen Kanner
Encyclopedia
Stephen Kanner was an American
modern architect
who co-founded the A+D Museum of Los Angeles in 2000.
Kanner was born in 1955 in Chandler, Arizona
, but raised in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood in Los Angeles. His grandfather, I. Herman Kanner, founded the family's business, Kanner Architects, in 1946. Kanner's father, Chuck Kanner, an architect who served in the United States Air Force
, became head of Kanner Architects in 1953 following Herman Kanner's death. Kanner received both his bachelor's degree
and master's degree
in architecture
from a combined program at the University of California, Berkeley
in 1980.
Kanner joined Kanner Architects in 1983 after the family business was commissioned to design the courthouse
in East Los Angeles
. The firm was headed by Kanner's father, modernist architect Chuck Kanner, until his death in 1998, when Stephen Kanner became head of the company.
Kanner designed his own home in Pacific Palisades. His most recent projects included the Metro Hollywood Transit Village on Hollywood Boulevard
, a lower income housing complex located at 26th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard; and the conversion of a commercial building into a luxury apartment building in Hollywood called Sunset Vine Tower.
The Los Angeles Times
described Kanner as "something of an outlier among architects of his generation for the sheer volume and range of his output." Later projects were influenced by postmodernism
and Pop art
, including a 2009 United Oil station at La Brea and Slauson evoking a stack interchange
and an In-N-Out restaurant in Westwood, California
.
Kanner died from cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
on July 2, 2010, at the age of 54.
An exhibit featuring Kanner's designs was featured at the Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles in 2010 and 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
modern architect
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
who co-founded the A+D Museum of Los Angeles in 2000.
Kanner was born in 1955 in Chandler, Arizona
Chandler, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2010, there were 236,123 people, 86,924 households, and 60,212 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.3% White, 4.8% Black or African American, 1.5% Native American, 8.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 21.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 8.3%...
, but raised in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood in Los Angeles. His grandfather, I. Herman Kanner, founded the family's business, Kanner Architects, in 1946. Kanner's father, Chuck Kanner, an architect who served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, became head of Kanner Architects in 1953 following Herman Kanner's death. Kanner received both his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
from a combined program at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1980.
Kanner joined Kanner Architects in 1983 after the family business was commissioned to design the courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
in East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
. The firm was headed by Kanner's father, modernist architect Chuck Kanner, until his death in 1998, when Stephen Kanner became head of the company.
Kanner designed his own home in Pacific Palisades. His most recent projects included the Metro Hollywood Transit Village on Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
, a lower income housing complex located at 26th Street and Santa Monica Boulevard; and the conversion of a commercial building into a luxury apartment building in Hollywood called Sunset Vine Tower.
The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described Kanner as "something of an outlier among architects of his generation for the sheer volume and range of his output." Later projects were influenced by postmodernism
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
and Pop art
Pop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
, including a 2009 United Oil station at La Brea and Slauson evoking a stack interchange
Stack interchange
A stack interchange is a free-flowing grade separated junction between two roads.In countries where one drives on the right, left turns are handled by semi-directional flyover/under ramps...
and an In-N-Out restaurant in Westwood, California
Westwood, California
Westwood is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California, United States. Westwood is located west-southwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 5128 feet...
.
Kanner died from cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Originally established as Kaspare Cohn Hospital in 1902, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, tertiary 958-bed hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre located in Los Angeles, California, US. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over...
on July 2, 2010, at the age of 54.
An exhibit featuring Kanner's designs was featured at the Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles in 2010 and 2011.