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Mimi Zeiger was still a graduate student at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) when she printed her first issue of Loud Paper in October of 1997. Now at print in its tenth issue, this independent architecture zine has a circulation of over two thousand readers, a web presence, and is distributed internationally in Europe, Asia, and South America.
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Flip through its pages and you'll find a collection of interviews, essays, and book reviews dedicated to the journal's subhead: "increasing the volume of architectural discourse." Whether its reading up on the latest Lego cities or discovering underlying similarities between architects and skateboarders, one will be pleasantly surprised to find a bind that ties architecture to its wider cultural presence. "For me, the zine was a way of creating voice for architects," says Zeiger, "While there are many magazines that deal with the building practice, I was more interested in something that addresses larger cultural issues, something that ties together the connection between architecture and pop-culture."
Loud Paper began as Zeiger's master's thesis at SCI-Arc. Having gone to SCI-Arc with the intentions of learning how to weld, Zeiger soon found that she was absolutely terrified of the metal shop. "Instead, I learned how to write," she says.
In approaching her thesis, Zeiger had become increasingly interested in the idea of an ephemeral architecture and began looking at billboards, pamphlets, and other means of urban discourse as a source of inspiration. As her research took shape, she was beginning to find more and more that what she wanted to express had to be written. "I felt that there was already a system in place for disseminating ideas in a very democratic way that was not being used by the architectural community. With that in mind I turned to the zine."
The first issue was funded by a $1000 grant and was printed in an edition of 100 copies, which was distributed to various schools, critics, and organizations. Zeiger admits that at first the project was somewhat oddly received by the faculty. "I went to present my thesis with nothing on the wall. Instead, I had a rotating magazine rack stuffed with Loud Papers, a can for donations, and a mailing list. I think everyone was a little hesitant about the idea. But in the end," she explains, "it turned out to be one of the better theses of the year."
Zeiger cites former independent architecture journals, like Archigram, as a source of inspiration, believing that for every architectural movement, there is an architecture journal that goes with it. Loud Paper, she envisions, along those lines as a place for young architects who have something to say and in many ways, the zine does act as a forum for architects as well as artists, musicians, and designers. Anyone can submit an abstract, idea, or project. "Young architects today are making interesting connections within the world around them," she says, "and designing bathroom details is simply not going to encourage growth. They need a voice, a place to discuss those ideas."
Last year a mailing list for submissions went out to over 400 people, tagged with a "please forward," and she's never sure where it ends up. "I have received e-mails from Japan and recently, one from Argentina expressing interest in the zine," says Zeiger. Similarly, production of the magazine spans coast to coast with a team of editors, designers, art directors, and distributors dispersed throughout the entire United States. "It's really a fluid thing. Many of my contributors just seemed to stumble upon the zine and e-mail me wanting to become involved. Our web designer, for example, saw our zine, thought that it should have a web presence, and offered to design the website. Everyone is incredible for volunteering their time."
Although Zeiger does not practice architecture as an architect per se, she is finding that there is great strength in the written word within the field. In additional to Loud Paper, Zeiger also writes for Metropolis and Dwell magazines as well as teaching courses at SCI-Arc on urban branding and architectural journalism. "Its great to be writing about architecture in a kind of populist way," she said, in closing, "It allows one to bring fairly complex ideas to a much broader public."
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