MIIM Designs

Maryam takes part in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the Pratt Institute, School of Architecture Teachers Summit dedicated to Summit for Climate Agency: Teaching the Design Experiment in Brooklyn, New York Summer '22 for the TNC Dangermond Capstone Studio that she lead.
https://www.miimdesigns.com/blogposts/2024/8/8/maryam-miim-designs-take-part-experimental-landings-exhibit

Manhattan Beach Restoration Project
Collaboration: The Bay Foundation | The State Coastal Conservancy | Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors | Coastal Restoration Consultants | The City of Manhattan Beach

Context
The history of Manhattan Beach is one of dynamic change. In the late 1920ʼs, excess sand from Manhattan Beach was purchased from the Kuhn Brothers Construction Company. Across geomorphological time, the littoral flow along the Western Coast has widened Manhattan Beach in symbiosis with the development of the coastline. Aerial photos of the Pier, over the past one hundred years since the sand extraction, reveal that Manhattan Beach is widening. While this process of littoral flow will slow given reduced natural sediment nourishment, our proposal for a tapestry of microdunes and microcosms extending from tidal line to housing boundary, will harvest wind blow sand
through fencing, erosion control fabric, and through rewilding planting, to initiate a new process of dunescaping. As the beach continues to grow both out and up we will harness the embodied energy of natural processes that work symbiotically with our design, to build a resilient foreshore in the wake of sea level rise.
While the majority of the previous Manhattan Beach dune ecosystem lies buried beneath the cityʼs buildings and streets, the continued growth of the shoreline over the past 100 years seen by the gradual exposure of sand beneath the Pier, hints at the opportunities our design team will catalyse. Our team envisions a strong sensory narrative that engages the ephemerality of the seasons and cycles that have continued to remake the shoreline throughout time, including the growth of new territory seaward and new topography skyward.

Through a four technique process:
1. Dune Nourishment,
2. Fencing & Fabric,
3. Planting & Rewilding, &
4. Runoff Capture;
our design will generate a sensory spectacle of microcosms within an undulating microtopography of miniature sand dunes.

Come celebrate with MIIM Designs and Maryam – one of the Jury Members - as the American Planning Association conducts its 2024 Award Gala at the California Science Center. Join us in celebrating some of the best projects in Los Angeles and Southern California.

EARTHDAY 2024
Our reflection on Earth Day 2024.

MIIM Designs has always been about ideas, and creating culture and community through those creative ideas. Each one of the built spaces and landscapes that we are trusted with, we use our creative tools to design and build a community to forge connections. This is always started by understanding the history of the land and the people who have fostered it.

Since the inception of we’ve had the opportunity and the joy of collaborating with many partners - each one of our creative projects and collaborations have focused on inspiring people to create culture, design communities and bring everyone together through the notion of these creative spaces.
Most recently, MIIM Designs partnered with Material and Application (a Los Angeles based non-profit project space for critical and experimental architecture) and with Look Out FM (southern California’s home for radio art on a creative reading), under the theme of SONIC DUST, on one of Maryam’s reflections while working on a project in collaboration the The Nature Conservancy in California. In honor of Earth’s Day, you can listen to Maryam read her reflection, “The Celestial Dust of the Chumash at Point Conception”. http://www.miimdesigns.com/blogposts/2024/4/22/earth-day-2024

We are kicking off the spring season with and the Persian New Year with exciting updates on the project that we are working on with

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, the 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”).


Beshkan Dance Academy
Niosha Dance Academy
Iranian Students of California
Pars Equality Center

Flying into for and the ?
Make sure to look out the window while on the runway.

“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

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. Gavin Newsom 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. https://www.miimdesigns.com/blogposts/2023/10/27/california-senate-bill-4-and-423-to-proceed

MIIM Designs 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 progr

"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. 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.

WE'RE HIRING!
MIIM Designs llc is currently seeking talented designers with strong research and design skills to join our studio. If you would like to be considered for the current or future positions, please send a cover letter, resume, a portfolio, and a list of 3 references with contact information as one pdf file (max. 20mb) to Studio [at] miimdesigns [dot] com. Any collaborative or professional works should clearly note the role of the applicant, and the cover letter should clearly indicate your eligibility to work in the U.S. and the ideal start time of work.

Applicants must have the following qualifications to be considered for the position:
• Computer expertise in Revit, AutoCAD, and Rhino3d
• Strong design and graphic skills
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks, collaborate on teams and work well under deadlines
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills

We are currently looking to fill following openings:

1/ Part to Full Time Short Term Position (Must be available to start immediately to work until May 30, 2023 or longer, exhibition installation design and coordination) - Please indicate in subject line of the application “23ST Application [Your Name]”.

2/ Full Time Entry Level Designer - Please indicate “23S application_Your Name” in the subject line of the application.
Part Time Entry Level Designer - Please indicate “23S-part application_Your Name” in the subject line of the application. Please describe any restrictions in the cover letter.

3/ Intern (paid) - Please indicate “23S-intern application_Your Name” in the subject line of the application.

MIIM Designs MIIM Designs llc is currently seeking talented designers with strong research and design skills to join our studio. If you would like to be considered for the current or future positions, please send a cover letter, resume, a portfolio, and a list of 3 references with contact information as one pdf

MIIM Designs + CDM of San Jose Awarded Grant from IMLS!

MIIM Designs 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...

Tomorrow Maryam Eskandari will be discussing the Perspectives in Sacred Space: Gender, Race, and Religion with Michael Crosbie
and Sharing Sacred Spaces.

Maryam Eskandari: Architecture for Transformation and Cultural Dialogue Hello friends! Are you interested in how architecture, religion, and race intersect? Our next guest for our Perspectives in Sacred Space series is the award-winning architect Maryam Eskandari. She's been researching Islamic mosques and race, and her results will take us to some deep historical roots...

MIIM's Tribute to the Great Poet Khalil Gibran.
Read about the project here: https://tinyurl.com/ybsze3hd

This Saturday, April 9th, Maryam Eskandari will be joined by Tammy Gaber, Gary Coates and Bruce Lawrence in discussion with Nader Ardalan, to explore how Ardalan’s design for Shams-i-Tabrizi will use the material medium of architecture facilitates transcendent experiences.


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