February 21, 2007

It's OK That LA Isn't All About Architecture

An Outlet for Commerce 4
LET PEOPLE SLOBBER OVER New York skyscrapers. So what if Los Angeles ranks no higher than 75 among AIA's top buildings.

As much as I personally dig architecture, I often see it as a 19th century pursuit. It's so industrial age - gathering stone and glass and metal to see who can make the biggest, sexiest pile.

LA strikes me as a 21st century pursuit. (No matter what the History Channel says.) We're flickering lights, not piling rocks. We're more about dreams, ideas and zeitgeist. Buildings, as is the Hollywood custom, are simply set pieces in a big picture show.

Or simply a tire factory converted to an outlet mall.

1 comment:

Vanessa said...

I'm surprised about this list. I just moved to LA from the Bay Area and I love the architecture here. I think that LA has the best modern residential architecture in the country. LA also has by far the coolest signs (for diners, car washes, bowling alleys, etc...) that I have ever seen anywhere ...