John Southern

John Southern is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the USC School of Architecture and principal of Urban Operations, an architecture and construction consulting firm in Los Angeles. He focuses on the cultural and sociological impacts of skyscrapers on 21st-century urbanism and advocates for spatial equity through adaptive reuse projects, such as pocket parks featured in the 2012 Venice Biennale. His work bridges academic research and professional practice.

Education includes an M.Arch from SCI-Arc and a B.A. in Architectural Design from the University of Florida. He is a licensed architect, registered with the American Institute of Architects, and former board member of the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design.

His research emphasizes urbanism and architectural history, with writings published in Archinect, Art Papers, Domus, and The Architects Newspaper. Projects include notable hillside home designs and adaptive reuse initiatives in Los Angeles.