Planet Homo

We Were Here

WE WERE HERE (trailer) from David Weissman on Vimeo.

Filmmakers David Weissman and Bill Weber co-directed the 2001 documentary, The Cockettes, chronicling San Francisco’s legendary theater troupe of hippies and drag queens, 1969 – 1972. We Were Here revisits San Francisco a decade later, as its flourishing gay community is hit with an unimaginable disaster. We Were Here is the first documentary to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco. It explores how the City’s inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, that calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination

Things go Boom in Palm Springs

The gay mecca known as Palm Springs is about to get an architectual wonder in the form of a living community in the Rancho Mirage area. The philosophy behind the development began with a notion of pioneering a space for gay retirees, an audience seeking a diverse and multi-generational community. That seed has sprouted into an encompassing residence for all ages with a mission of  ”inclusion, not seclusion; about living, not retiring.”

Boom, a planned community slated for 100+ acres in Rancho Mirage, was originally conceived with gay people in mind, but straight people can come too--everyone's invited to the multi-generational, pedestrian-oriented, culture-driven, hyphenation-mad little burg, for which plans include 300 residences in eight neighborhoods, an entertainment complex, a boutique hotel, a gym, and "state-of-the-art wellness facilities" in phase one (phase two will add more residences). The project was created by Los Angeles-based developer Boom Communities, Inc.; architect Matthias Hollwich of Hollwich Kushner; and ten architecture firms, half from New York, half from Europe and California. Matthew Hoffman of Hollwich Kushner tells Curbed in an email that while the group has met with community officials in Rancho Mirage, it hasn't yet started in on the approvals process. Even so, publicity materials say the project will break ground in late 2012 and finish up in late 2014.

The 300 residences of Boom include condos and single-family residences ranging from one bedroom to four bedrooms, and architect Hollwich says that the team wants to "ensure that we have a variety of sizes in all price ranges to provide accessibility to all ages - young and old, single and married and families with young children."

As for the extras, two boutique hotel buildings were designed by Sadar + Vuga and Joel Sanders Architect; Rudin Donner designed an indoor-outdoor cafe; J. Mayer H. designed the clubhouse and gym and spa; and Arakawa + Gins created a playground and "Healing Fun House." Landscaping is by Surfacedesign, Inc. Los Angeles' new friends Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the entertainment complex, which includes a rooftop mist disco and market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boom, a planned community slated for 100+ acres in Rancho Mirage, was originally conceived with gay people in mind, but straight people can come too--everyone's invited to the multi-generational, pedestrian-oriented, culture-driven, hyphenation-mad little burg, for which plans include 300 residences in eight neighborhoods, an entertainment complex, a boutique hotel, a gym, and "state-of-the-art wellness facilities" in phase one (phase two will add more residences). The project was created by Los Angeles-based developer Boom Communities, Inc.; architect Matthias Hollwich of Hollwich Kushner; and ten architecture firms, half from New York, half from Europe and California. Matthew Hoffman of Hollwich Kushner tells Curbed in an email that while the group has met with community officials in Rancho Mirage, it hasn't yet started in on the approvals process. Even so, publicity materials say the project will break ground in late 2012 and finish up in late 2014.

The 300 residences of Boom include condos and single-family residences ranging from one bedroom to four bedrooms, and architect Hollwich says that the team wants to "ensure that we have a variety of sizes in all price ranges to provide accessibility to all ages - young and old, single and married and families with young children."

As for the extras, two boutique hotel buildings were designed by Sadar + Vuga and Joel Sanders Architect; Rudin Donner designed an indoor-outdoor cafe; J. Mayer H. designed the clubhouse and gym and spa; and Arakawa + Gins created a playground and "Healing Fun House." Landscaping is by Surfacedesign, Inc. Los Angeles' new friends Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the entertainment complex, which includes a rooftop mist disco and market.