Christopher Hawthorne (journalist)

{{Short description|American journalist and television director}}

{{Distinguish|text=American screenwriter and producer Christopher Hawthorne}}

Christopher Hawthorne is an American journalist and television director who served as the architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times from 2004 to 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://la.curbed.com/2018/3/13/17111610/christopher-hawthorne-interview-chief-design-officer|title=Critic Christopher Hawthorne explains why he's taking a job with the city|first=Alissa|last=Walker|date=March 13, 2018|website=Curbed LA}}{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/433134/los-angeles-christopher-hawthorne-chief-design-officer/|title=Why the City of Los Angeles Hired a "Chief Design Officer"|date=March 27, 2018|website=Hyperallergic}} In 2018, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed him as the city's first Chief Design Officer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoccidentalnews.com/features/2019/02/19/as-las-first-chief-design-officer-professor-christopher-hawthorne-is-the-man-behind-the-future-of-the-city/2896404|title=As LA's first Chief Design Officer, professor Christopher Hawthorne is the man behind the future of the city|first=Pablo|last=Nukaya-Petralia|date=February 20, 2019}}

In 2018, he directed the documentary That Far Corner for the KCET series Artbound about architect Frank Lloyd Wright's work in Los Angeles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/that-far-corner-frank-lloyd-wright-los-angeles|title=What Do These Frank Lloyd Wright Houses Have to Do With a 1914 Murder?|website=Architectural Digest}} He also directed another Artbound episode titled Third Los Angeles.{{Cite web|url=https://la.curbed.com/2016/6/14/11938840/video-third-los-angeles|title=Take a Tour of the Third Los Angeles|first=Bianca|last=Barragan|date=June 14, 2016|website=Curbed LA}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9621389|title=Christopher Hawthorne|website=IMDb}} In 2020, in his role as Chief Design Officer he launched the Low-Rise design challenge, aiming to promote housing affordability, new paths to homeownership, and innovative models of sustainable residential architecture.{{Cite web|title=Low-Rise: Housing Ideas for Los Angeles|url=https://lowrise.la/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=lowrise.la|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-12-16|title=Christopher Hawthorne on Low-Rise: Housing Ideas for Los Angeles|url=https://www.archdaily.com/953189/christopher-hawthorne-on-low-rise-housing-ideas-for-los-angeles|access-date=2021-03-31|website=ArchDaily|language=en-US}} In 2021, his office announced the creation of standard Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) plans to help address the housing shortage facing the City of Los Angeles.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-09|title=Los Angeles launches bold new ADU program to combat housing shortage|url=https://www.archpaper.com/2021/03/los-angeles-launches-bold-new-adu-program-to-combat-housing-shortage/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=The Architect’s Newspaper|language=en-US}}