Chaz Kern
Chazandra (Chaz) is a first generation Filipino-American designer that builds systems and designs spaces for an equitable built environment. She bridge cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop actionable urban Community Development models.
As a design practioner and co-founder of Office of she helped guide the mission and impact framework to examine how systems can be designed to create just spatial outcomes. At LA Más she managed partnerships and participants for the Backyard Homes Project, an initiative that helped homeowners build a new Section 8 rental Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
Chaz has been named on Cultured Magazine’s inaugural Young Architects list of 2021, winner of the 2023 LA Architectural Award for Innovation in the Built Environment, is a core organizer with Design As Protest, board member of Association for Community Design, Adjunct Professor at Woodbury Univesity, and has been invited to guest lecture on design justice at Rice University, University of Oregon, SCI-Arc, UCLA, USC, and UC Berkeley.
Chaz has been named on Cultured Magazine’s inaugural Young Architects list of 2021, winner of the 2023 LA Architectural Award for Innovation in the Built Environment, is a core organizer with Design As Protest, board member of Association for Community Design, Adjunct Professor at Woodbury Univesity, and has been invited to guest lecture on design justice at Rice University, University of Oregon, SCI-Arc, UCLA, USC, and UC Berkeley.
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Stitched Narratives
Machine Embroidery: Polyester on Linen
2019-2023
Minitures Backyard Homes
Digital Collage.
2022
NELA Community Response
Public Engagement Collateral Development & Design
2020
Northeast LA Community Response, developed at LA Más, was a relief initiative created in response to the coronavirus crisis in March. The initiative was based in Elysian Valley and supported neighborhoods throughout Northeast Los Angeles, including Glassell Park, Cypress Park and Lincoln Heights. For 10 weeks, along with local volunteers we called neighbors, identified needs, and connected people to resources such as groceries, masks, activity kits, rent and mortgage information, unemployment filing, among others. With the tremendous support of 150+ volunteers who helped with outreach, assembly and deliveries and 30+ partners who offered their resources, over 2,000 Northeast LA residents were engaged and over 750 residents received direct support.
Transional Age Youth Housing
Report Graphic Design
2023
Collaborating with Genesis LA, we developed the graphic identity and formatted their “Scaling Housing to End the Foster Care to Homelessness Pipeline Report” to assist in communicating the challenges faced by transitional age youth (TAY) in and exiting foster care. The visual strategy is designed to engage the stakeholders in the TAY development space and highlight inadequacies in current social services, emphasizing the urgent need to expand housing capacity through color association and graphic hierarchy. The comprehensive report is designed to be presented in print and digital formats to inspire potential funders and partners to join us in ending homelessness among foster youth in Los Angeles County.
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Anti-Racist Design Justice Index
Design as Protest
Index Co-author, Workshop Co-facilitator
The Index is a tool for architects, designers, planners, policymakers, and community activists committed to taking action towards identifying and dismantling systemic racism within our practices, organizations, academic institutions, and local governments. The goal of the Index is to achieve justice and liberation within design institutions by holding them accountable to their anti-racist commitments. It provides a visual way to track accountability and resources for guiding concrete actions. Go read the Index