A love letter to the city that first captured my imagination decades ago, and still has my heart today
Though not originally from here, Los Angeles has had my heart since I was very young. I was born and raised in rural western Nebraska, a beautiful, bucolic place with rolling hills, sandstone bluffs, and wide —open spaces— a vastly different landscape and environment from Southern California.
On a childhood family vacation to LA, we visited all the must-see spots for any 7-year-old: Disneyland, the Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Santa Monica Pier, and the Chinese and Egyptian theaters. I remember being greeted by the "huge spaceship" at the airport (LAX's Theme Building) and the rush of excitement seeing the Hollywood sign for the first time. It all felt so magical.
What stuck with me wasn’t the entertainment elements of these landmarks but the unique architecture and one-of-a-kind style the city represented. LA has always had a vibe that’s all its own. The awe I felt for this city as a kid stayed with me for the next 15 years until I finally made it my home in my early 20s.
And now, as 2024 marks my 20th anniversary as an Angeleno, I’ve been reminiscing about what drew me here in the first place—Los Angeles’ iconic architecture, the brilliant minds behind it, and how it continues to inspire my life and my work.
LA is home to so many styles of architecture, but a few stand out as distinctly Los Angeles. The early 20th century brought a boom of Craftsman homes and Beaux Arts classical buildings. Soon after, Neo-Spanish influences produced Mission Revival, Spanish Colonial, and Churrigueresque styles. Into the 40s, Deco, Chateauesque, and Regency styles brought decorative flair to homes and buildings.
But as a kid (and budding architecture/design fanatic) what most caught my attention were the Mid-century and Modernist styles.
A stark departure from their more traditional predecessors, California’s signature modernist buildings stand apart — both in materials and style. Their efficiency, simplicity, and connection with the natural environment still resonate decades later.
Often featuring rectilinear shapes and steel frames, these structure feature sweeping walls of glass to take advantage of California’s views and ample sunshine. And while this unique style is classically Californian, its key architects can all be traced back to Louis Sullivan, pioneer of the modern skyscraper. Called The Father of Modern Architecture, Sullivan was known for streamlined forms and is responsible for some of the most notable buildings in the American midwest.
Both initially draftsmen for Sullivan, Irving Gill and Frank Lloyd Wright relocated and began working in California, bringing his core ideology of “form follows function.” Here in LA, that meant streamlined forms, indoor/outdoor spaces, and open concept floor plans.
With a creative and wealthy client base of Hollywood’s elite, Los Angeles’ mediterranean climate and wild-west attitude was the perfect environment for a budding architectural scene. This boom paved the way for a complete reshaping of the design landscape — and drew some brilliant architectural minds from around the globe.
Excited by the US modernist movement, Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra each came from Europe to apprenticed with Wright. Later, they opened their own firm together and eventually went their separate ways, each contributing incredible work to Southern California’s architectural inventory. Schindler’s works include the Lovell Beach House and Kings Road House; Neutra is most known for the Kauffmann House and the Lovell Health House.
Another noteworthy modernist — and one who’d push the movement even farther — was John Lautner. He, too, apprenticed with Wright before stepping out on his own and creating an entirely new style in LA.
From California’s Modernism emerged another iconic style: Googie design.
While not everyone is familiar with the name, the architectural elements are instantly recognizable.
Named after Googie’s Coffee Shop — a now closed-yet-still-iconic West Hollywood diner designed by John Lautner — the eponymous architectural movement produced many noteworthy buildings throughout Los Angeles and the American southwest.
More than a funny name: what is Googie design?
First and foremost, Googie style is distinctly futuristic — think flying saucers and the Jetsons. Bold, geometric shapes and asymmetric rooflines with steep pitches or cantilevers are both key architectural elements. Design-wise, you’ll find bright color palettes — especially red, yellow, and orange — and oversized neon signs to draw people in from the road.
Googie architecture simultaneously captured the country’s post-war optimism, space age fascination, and the boom of the automobile industry. As people moved across the country in droves, new cafes, motels, and coffee shops popped up rapidly along major roadways, all clamoring to draw in customers with the promise of that Hollywood glamor they were looking for.
Almost always, the exterior of a Googie style building instantly tells you what’s inside. For example, a coffee shop exterior might feature a giant coffee mug. A diner’s sign might be a 10’ high neon burger.
Unlike today’s boxy, symmetrical architecture that could easily be a gym, a bank, or an apartment building, a Googie building’s exterior design is tied to its internal function.
It is what it says it is.
And this clarity made each building a beacon for the exact right customer.
In digging up more about Googie design, I came across a notable architect I hadn’t heard of, but who certainly deserves recognition for her lasting mark on LA’s architecture: Helen Liu Fong
Fong was the daughter of Chinese immigrants. She was born and raised in LA's Chinatown, one of five children. She grew up working in her family's laundry business and says she knew at an early age that she wanted to become an architect. She initially attended UCLA, later transferring to UC Berkeley after a few semesters.
With a degree in city planning from the architecture school at Berkeley, Fong moved back to her hometown and joined the modernist design firm of Armet and Davis as a junior drafter. Soon after, the firm began its first project in the Googie style.
From there, Armet and Davis became prominent practitioners of Googie-style hotels, gas stations, cafes, and coffee shops, with Fong playing a key role in all of them. Over the next 25 years until her retirement, Helen Liu Fong was a guiding force behind some of LA’s most iconic Mid-Century buildings, and the perfector of a style that would spread across the country.
Stephen Wong, curator of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery had this to say about Fong’s career and influence:
"If it wasn’t for the race issues and gender discrimination in a very, still a very male-dominated field, she could have been so much more if she was alive today. She should have been a licensed architect. She shouldn’t have had to work under two white men. Perhaps she couldn’t have gotten to where she did if it wasn’t for the support of the firm. But at the same time, I believe that she could have done so much more.
Her legacy is all over the country, represented through architecture, through these very stark visual forms, and Helen had a heavy hand in that. Shedding light on her contributions will help truly acknowledge what women have contributed, that oftentimes conveniently men forget about in this industry."
What I'm most drawn to about Fong's story is that she embodies all that Googie stands for: vivid, strong personality, forward-thinking ideas, and unlimited imagination. At her core, she was a storyteller, which is precisely what Googie design represents. I also love that an Asian woman, in a completely male-dominated field, was a driving force behind such an enormously influential design movement.
Even before Googie design had a name and a movement, a few LA icons paved the way
Probably one of the most iconic pieces of Hollywood —the Hollywood sign itself— embodies the literal nature of the Googie style and was clearly an influence. Though it was erected a few decades before the official Googie design movement, it absolutely embodies its spirit: it is an oversized beacon and advertisement for what lies beyond.
Another pre-Googie building that absolutely fits the mold was the Brown Derby on Wilshire Blvd. Unfortunately, it isn’t around anymore, but this restaurant — literally in the shape of a brown derby hat — was the epitome of architecture that tells a story and beckons you inside. Cleary these early theme buildings had a major influence on what would eventually become the Googie style.
While the modernist movement peaked in the 50s and 60s, this style is still a foundation of LA today.
Thankfully, many of these institutions still stand (though many of them have seen better days). From Randy’s Donuts to the Union 76 Station on Crescent Drive and the Theme Building at LAX, we can find examples of Googie’s influence throughout the city.
Many of the iconic diners are still in operation today. Norms is the most obvious with several locations throughout SoCal (I've spent my fair share of after hours late nights at Norms on La Cienega). Angelinos would also recognize Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, Mel’s Diner on Sunset and Pann’s in Westchester (the latter two designed by Armet and Davisd and Helen Liu Fong herself).
And while not as literal in their design, newer architecture still draws on Googie principles today.
Built half a century later, Frank Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall was designed to capture the sweeping feeling and literal appearance of flying sheets of music. Even the interior design, with its brightly patterned red, orange, and gold carpets and upholstery and bold architectural elements, is in true "Neo Googie" style. It's a building that loudly exclaims on the outside what it holds on the inside.
Modernist principles have a lot to teach us about great design, regardless of style.
Louis Sullivan’s guiding principle of “form follows function” is still a rally cry for architects and designers today, with good reason. Architecture and design should be tailored to a structure’s specific uses and inhabitants.
And though Sullivan’s own work was focused largely in Chicago and the Midwest, his influence on LA’s architecture scene is undeniable. In under half a century, his direct influence on and through Wright and Gill, and their influence on Schindler, Neutra, and Lautner ignited an entire architectural movement in LA and worldwide.
Modernist architecture and Googie design also have a clear point of view. They create a memorable experience — much like LA itself.
Like LA, these designs are bold, imaginative, and optimistic. They offer an engaging, memorable experience for anyone exploring Los Angeles, giving a glimpse into a time when the city was redefining itself. They’re storytelling through design — the ultimate intersection of form, function, and cultural expression.
And though I’ve lived here for nearly half my life now, these architectural gems still excite me and provide endless inspiration.
If you'd like to learn more about architecture and design in LA, checkout my most recent podcast interview: Convo By Design | Drinking About Design with host Josh Cooperman. Listen as Josh and I discuss our love for Los Angeles architecture and our shared nostalgia for the unique architectural landmarks of the past over a couple of cocktails. It's a really fun conversation, not to be missed!
Or listen to it on your favorite podcast app:
Until next time,
XO,
PE
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