Trailblazer
Tim Bonefeld’s journey to Venice began in 2006, when a short-term opportunity to work with SCI-Arc alum and prefab pioneer Jennifer Siegel evolved into a long-term engagement with the neighborhood’s ever-evolving creative scene. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, Bonefeld brought a European sensibility to Venice’s eclectic context, fusing classical design education with an openness to the experimental spirit he found in Southern California.
His early fascinations with Los Angeles were shaped not only by the architectural legacies of Richard Neutra, John Lautner, and the Eameses but also by pop culture—Baywatch reruns and old Hollywood films, which framed LA as a mythical place of freedom and reinvention. When he finally arrived in Venice, these impressions were grounded in a real and complex urban fabric, one filled with hidden architectural gems tucked behind alleys and alongside streets.
One of Bonefeld’s earliest encounters with Venice’s rich design language came near Windward Circle, a district revitalized in the 1980s by architect Steven Ehrlich. The area, along with nearby contributions from artist-architect couples like Robert Graham and Angelica Huston, illustrated how deeply art and architecture were intertwined in the neighborhood’s DNA.
As he explored Venice on foot, often with friends, Bonefeld began to piece together a narrative of a place defined by fearless experimentation. Iconic local projects such as Three Little Pigs, 2-4-6-8, and the Caplin House represented not just architectural bravado but a community of clients and creators willing to take risks. He found lasting inspiration in projects like Frank Gehry’s 1979 duplex for Jane Spiller on Horizon Avenue and Morphosis’s 72 Market Street restaurant, a collaboration with actor Dudley Moore and producer Tony Bill. These weren’t just buildings—they were statements, part of the cultural story of Venice.
Today, Bonefeld runs Democratic Design Studio out of his Venice-based workspace. His practice continues to be informed by the spirit of the neighborhood: open-ended, collaborative, and rooted in the idea that architecture should respond to both place and people.