Robert Inman describes how David Gebhard and Robert Winter created the first Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles in 1965, and collaborated on three updates. A dozen years after Robert Winter completed the 2003 revision, he asked Inman to assist on a new edition. While much of the original text remains the same, the new edition omits structures that are no longer extant, or no longer visible. There are over 2300 entries, covering all of Los Angeles County.

Inman demonstrates some of the contents of the Guidebook by discussing architects associated with SCI-Arc that are featured in it: Ray Kappe, Morphosis (Mayne & Rotondi), Michael Rotondi, Thom Mayne, Hsinming Fung & Craig Hodgetts, Michael Folonis, Glen Small (with Anthony Eckelberry), Fred Fischer, Eric Owen Moss.

In the second half of his talk, Inman discusses architecture related to SCI-Arc geographically: structures featured in the updated Guidebook that are within one mile of the school, including Santa Fe Freight Depot (1906) now SCI-Arc, Roebling Warehouse (1913) now Angel City Brewery, Union Station (1939), Metro Division 13 Bus Operations & Maintenance Facility (2015), City Hall (1928), Grand Park (2012), Los Angeles Federal Courthouse (2016), Bradbury Building (1893), Star apartments (2014), Textile Center Building (1926) now Textile Building Lofts, Charnock Block (1888), Los Angeles Union Terminal Market (1917-23) now Row DTLA, Ford Assembly Plant (1912) now Warner Chappell Music, 4th Street Viaduct (1928) and the proposed new 6th Street Viaduct (2022), Boyle Hotel (1889) now the Cummings Block, and Hollenbeck Memorial Chapel (1908).
He also points out the Toy District, 200-300 Winston Street, as an area of urban and infrastructural interest.

Inman concludes by demonstrating that the new edition of the “Guidebook” retains Gebhard and Winter’s famously witty descriptions.