Modern architecture in downtown Los Angeles
I was only a teenager when I last came to L.A and although I have been back to California since, I deliberately skipped L.A. because of its rather daunting reputation (i.e. shallowness and travel inconveniences etc). Due to work reasons, I had to spend a few days in Downtown L.A. and was quite apprehensive at first because I didn't rent a car and wasn't sure how to get around with the limited publlic transport.
Whenever people travel to Los Angeles, many tend to stay away from Downtown L.A. (again, because of its negative reputation) and I felt the same when I arrived here. I think what surprised me was how quiet and empty the streets were... Although certain blocks reminded me of Manhattan, the atmosphere was just so different! I was walking alone one afternoon from the L.A. Convention Center towards the Garment District and apart from a few homeless people, there was hardly anyone or traffic along the route which was rather spooky! Usually I love walking esp. in cities because I get to see a lot more, but my initial experience of walking in L.A. was quite a grim one.
Luckily, I did a bit of research before my arrival and found out about the Los Angeles Conservancy, a non-profit organization that helps to preserve and revitalize the city's historic architecture. Their weekly tours are a great way to learn more and appreciate the beautiful architectural gems hidden away in the city. Being an Art Deco fan, I was torn between the Art Deco or Historic Downtown tour, but I chose the latter simply because I wanted to learn more about the history of the city.
The tour was probably the best thing I did during my entire stay because my impressions of the city completely changed by the end of the tour. Do first impressions count? Sure, but we can be wrong sometimes (in regards to both people and cities), and in this case, I was wrong about L.A. particularly the downtown area. I was completely captivated by the architecture, historical and modern, but was also sadden by the lack of support and funding to maintain or protect many buildings and theatres with great historical value. Walking down the rather gloomy part of the Broadway theatre district, I found it hard to imagine how it looked during the golden era... Is this the same town where the Oscars and other glitzy Hollywood parties are held? Despite everyone talking about the Downtown revival in recent years, I think it will take some time, effort, and investments to change the vibe and appearances of the area. I have been to the Meatpacking district in NYC in the late 1990s, so I know this can be done, but then again L.A. is not exactly like New York, so we will have to wait and see.
If, like me, you didn't like the city when you last visited, try and give it a second chance... it's really worth the time!
Art Deco architecture:
Union Station built in 1939 by The Parkinsons
L.A. Public Library built in 1926 by Bertram Goodhue
Southern California Edison Building built in 1931 by James and David Allison
Eastern Colombia building built in 1930 by Claud Beelman
Ninth and Broadway Building built in 1929 by Claud Beelman
Title Guarantee and Trust Building built in 1930 by The Parkinsons
L.A. Times building built in 1935 by Gordon Kaufmann
Historical architecture or sights:
Biltmore Hotel built in 1923 by Schultze and Weaver
Pacific Mutual Building, originally built in 1908 by Parkinson and Bergstrom
Subway Terminal Building, built in 1925 by Schultze and Weaver
Mayflower (Now Hilton Checkers) hotel built in 1927 by Charles F. Whittlesey
Million Dollar theatre built in 1918 by Albert C. Martin
100 birthday of Charlie Chaplin sculpture by Emmanuil Snitkovsky (1989)
Bradbury building built in 1893 by George Wyman
(Esp. famous as the setting for 'Blade Runner')
Orpheum theatre built in 1926 by Gustave Albert Lansburgh
Tower theatre opened in 1927, designed by S.Charles Lee
Wurlitzer Building built in 1924 by Walker + Eisen
Stowell Hotel (now El Dorado) built in 1913 by Frederick Noonan
Cathedral of Saint Vibiana built in 1876 by Ezra F. Kysor
(renovated by John C. Austin in 1922)
Grand Central Market built in 1896 by John Parkinson
Angels flight, operated since 1901, re-opened in 2010
(Angel's Knoll bench is also known as Tom's favourite spot in '500 days of summer')
Modern architecture:
Walt Disney Concert Hall built in 2003 by Frank Gehry
Our Lady of the Angels by artist Robert Graham (2002)
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels completed in 2002 by José Rafael Moneo
A view of Central Los Angeles Area High School (built 2006-9 by Coop Himmelb(l)au) from the Catherdral
Cool carpark
L.A.P.D. building built in 2009 by AECOM
Museum of Contemporary art built 1981-6 by Arata Isozaki
Caltrans District Seven Headquarters built in 2004 by Morphosis Architects
The Bunker Hill steps built in 1990 by Lawrence Halprin
Little Tokyo Villas built in 1983 by Abraham Shapiro
Caltrans District Seven Headquarters
Wall murals, public and street art
Pershing Square's earthquake fault line designed by artist Barbara McCarren, 1994
Biddy Mason: Time + Place wall by Sheila de Bretteville, 1990
Biddy Mason Park: Eino, water columns by Burton and Spitz, 1991
Los Angeles Evolves relief mural by Tony Sheets, 1988
Protection, Trust, Fidelity mosaic by Hugo Balin, 1928
Dusk by Frank Stella at the Microwave Tower, 1992, the largest mural in Downtown L.A.
The Pope of Broadway (a tribute to Anthony Quinn) by Eloy Torrez, 1985
Trompe L'oeil by Jeff Greene,1986
A pig's head near the Central Market
An 'angel' in the Garment district
For further references:
I highly recommend the weekly walking tours conducted by the Los Angeles Conservancy.
www.laconservancy.org/
There are also free daily guided art and architecture tours at the L.A. Central Library that very interesting and informative.
Alternatively, you can design your own architectural tours through the information available at the You are here website.
http://www.you-are-here.com
No comments:
Post a Comment