Mar Vista Man's Photographic Work on Display at L.A. Museum

The work of Mar Vista resident Nico Marques can be seen in the Architecture + Design Museum's "Never Built: Los Angeles" exhibit through Oct. 13. His work was also in the "A New Sculpturalism: Contemporary Architecture from Southern California" exhibit at The Museum of Contemporary Art, which ended on Sept. 16.

Marques is an an architectural photographer from Portugal who moved to Los Angeles to study at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. Trained in architecture, he spent more than 10 years working in the field.

The Architecture + Design Museum's exhibit asks, "Why is Los Angeles a hotbed of great architects, yet so lacking in urban innovation?" The exhibit's app can be downloaded here and includes a selection of work form the exhibit. 

The MOCA display included Marques' photos of a house adjacent to the Venice canals. The photographs were printed in the MOCA guide and when displayed were projected on a curved band flowing above the models through the space. 

According to a press release, "When Nico first encounters a building, he chooses to focus on what makes it outstanding and what grabs attention, whether it's the angle that the sun takes to illuminate a certain element, or how it is reflected in the rain-drenched street in front. He loves 'site specificity,' or how a building responds to its surrounding, as well as showing how the temporary or permanent inhabitants interact with the structure."

Marques' approach brings life and interest to photographs, he says.

The Ennis House, the Bradbury Building, the Stahl House, the Chemosphere and LAX's "Encounter" Building are among his favorite L.A. structures. 

The Architecture + Design Museum is at 6032 Wilshire Boulevard, and is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon-6 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Adult admission is $10 per person, seniors and students are admitted for $5 each. Museum members and children under 12 are admitted for no charge; (323) 932-9393.