Coca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angles, Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierCoca Cola Building, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier
The Coca Cola Building in Downtown Los Angeles is a Beautiful example of Streamline Moderne. I’ve seen photos of this building online for years, and finally made the trek into the industrial area of downtown LA to see it for myself. There are so many beautiful details that I discovered in person. One surprise was the color of the building. I’d assumed it was bright white, however, in person it was a soft tan color with the striking red and black stripe along the bottom.
Built in 1939 by architect Robert V. Derrah, who also built Crossroads of the World in Hollywood – considered to be America’s first outdoor mall, the permanently moored streamliner features beautiful porthole windows, a catwalk and a bridge. It was declared a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument in 1975, number 138. I absolutely love the attention to details with the rivets around the windows, and along the top of the building. And that lone door near the rear is pretty amazing too.
I would love to see inside one of these days, but tours are not allowed inside the building. I recommend checking it out on a quiet Saturday or Sunday to avoid heavy traffic along Central Avenue, 1414 S. Central Avenue to be exact. Oh, and in case you wondering… yes, they still produce Coca Cola at this location and it’s surrounding buildings. Maybe that’s why there aren’t any tours, Trade Secrets!
Formosa Cafe, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierWAX, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierPDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierPeterson Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, Ca. Photo Romi CortierTommy’s Express Carwash, Los Angeles, Ca., Photo Romi CortierOWN, Los Angeles, Ca., Photo Romi CortierDomain Lobby, Los Angeles, Ca., Photo Romi CortierPDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
There’s an exciting new design trend happening in Los Angeles… RED!
This color isn’t for the faint of heart. From a psychological point of view, red is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination, passion, desire and love. Physiologically, it enhances human metabolism, increases the respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It also attracts attention more than any other color and often times signifies danger. So why use red for the exterior of a building?
The use of the color red for interiors and exteriors can be traced back to the roaring 1920’s. The Formosa Cafe, founded in 1925, started out in a red trolley car. Today, while currently closed, the historically protected building still sports a red exterior. And Bullocks Wilshire, one of the cities most important art deco buildings, features this amazing geometric red paneled ceilings in one of its upstairs offices.
Bullocks Wilshire interior office, Los Angeles, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
During the last forty to fifty years, red was reserved for things like signage and neon as a way to grab your attention while driving by. The colors red, orange and yellow were also frequently used in fast food, or quick service establishments, as a way to move their patrons through quickly. Remember the days of seeing a red stripe at eye level around a beige or tan room? It was known to quicken your heart rate, and keep you from feeling to comfortable. So you’d eat your burgers and fries quickly, and keep it pushing.
Red is considered a primary color, along with yellow and blue. And if you think about it, you rarely see any building exteriors in a primary color. That said, times are changing. Maybe it’s a desire to stand out in a world that feels a bit to monochromatic. Or maybe it has something to do with the development of new materials that can withstand fading from the increasing warm sunny days in Southern California. Whatever the case, I think it’s trend worth taking notice of. That said, I sure would love to hear from people who work across the street from one of these buildings. Are they more productive than sister locations that don’t look at red buildings? Are tensions higher in these types of offices? Do the employees have better love lives?
When it comes to red, the one thing that never gets old in LA, is a red carpet! They conjure up a sense of excitement and anticipation. The Beverly Hills Hotel in recent years installed a permanent massive red carpet to welcome its guests. From a branding point of view, it’s quite brilliant. Whenever I take friends and family there, they’re always wowed and can’t wait to have their photo taken on it… myself included. We live in a world of social media, where photo ops are worth their weight in gold.
Romi Cortier and Recio Carrington Young, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, Ca.
Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierGrauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierGrauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierGrauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierGrauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierGrauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierChinese Heaven Dog, Ming Dynasty, 1403 – 1643, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Photo Romi Cortier
On May 18th, 2017, Grauman’s Chinese Theater will turn 90!
Try to imagine it’s 1927, and you’re invited to one of Hollywood’s most spectacular events. Thousands of people are lining Hollywood Boulevard in hopes of catching a glimpse of movie stars and celebrities of the era. Massive spotlights can be seen for miles. A Wurlitzer organ and 65-piece orchestra provide music for the prologue. And the premiere film is Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings, preceded by Glories of the Scriptures, a live prologue devised by master showman Sid Grauman. $2,000,000 sure could buy a lot back in those days.
Grauman’s Chinese Theater, 1927, Photo courtesy www.waterandpower.org/museum
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of standing in front of the theater, it still thrills. And the change of energy as you step from the sidewalk into the forecourt, is palpable. Could it be the footprints and signatures of those glorious stars from Hollywood’s Golden Era who’ve left echoes of their lives in the concrete, letting us literally touch the past? Is it the feeling of being wrapped by 40-foot high curved walls with copper turrets, creating a big warm cosmic hug? Or is it the effects of amazing feng shui, as chi is channeled from the heavens down into those curved walls circling the forecourt before it breaks out onto the sidewalk. Whatever the case, it’s tangible and it’s exciting.
I was surprised to learn that the forecourt, designed by architect Raymond M. Kennedy of the firm Meyer and Holler, was inspired by St. Peter’s Square. Apparently there were lots of issues regarding morality during the early days of filmmaking, with great concern about the impact of movies on society in general. There was great social change happening at the turn of the 20th century as we transitioned from a Victorian sensibility into our modern era. It was absolutely scandalous for women to even show their ankles. And who could imagine that within 20 years women would be lopping off their hair into bobs, smoking cigarettes in public, and wearing slinky glitzy sheath dresses. Quite frankly, morality was going to hell in a hand basket, and those movies were promoting a degenerate lifestyle… as some would say. Therefore, the subtext of the theaters forecourt was meant to have a religious, and thus moral feeling to it. What a great way to use architecture and design to shape social attitudes. Below is a fantastic 1925 rendering by Mr. Kennedy, illustrating his idea for this slice of chinoiserie heaven.
Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Presentation painting by Architect Raymond M. Kennedy, about 1925. Tempera on cardboard.
The 18th of May is just a few days away, and I may have to drop by the theater again to see what kind of celebration is happening. In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy this interview that I recently had with Barbie artist Judy Ragagli, as she discusses the inspiration behind her painting Barbie in Hollywood.
Laramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, Ill, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi CortierLaramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi Cortier
The Laramie State Bank Building in Chicago is a feast for the eyes. Whether or not you’re a lover of Art Deco, you can’t help but notice this gem while driving by. The butterscotch colored terra cotta, created by the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Formerly the Ruzicka Drug Store Building, now the current Laramie State Bank Building, courtesy Forgotten Chicago Forum, via Berwyn Frank, circa 1910.
What started out as a one-story addition and remodel of a modest 1909 building, grew into a massive overhaul which was completed by 1929. Architects Meyer & Cook were responsible for the Deco makeover that features such details as: coins, squirrels, beehives, men at work, and the american eagle sinking it’s talons into the entire globe, all of which are symbols of industry and thrift. The moral of the story appears to be hard work and savings. The building resides at 5200 W. Chicago Avenue, on the corner of Laramie, in the community of Austin.
I found this building quite by accident, while driving to Oak Park to see all of the Frank Lloyd Wright homes and his personal studio last summer. It looked to be a short drive from the friends home that I was staying at. I dipped out early that Sunday morning while my friends slept, using google maps to find my way to Oak Park. The map looked simple, take a left anywhere, turn right at Chicago Avenue, and follow it all the way to Oak Park. As I rolled through the neighborhood, it appeared to be quite run down, and to be honest… downright scary. I saw the ‘Golden Arches’ of McDonald’s on my left and beelined it into the drive-thru for a quick bite. While waiting in line, I started observing the goings on in the parking lot…. hmmm. Drug deals, prostitution, it was very sketchy and I couldn’t get out of there quick enough. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I saw the amazing deco building sitting caddy corner and made a mental note to stop on my way back from Oak Park. If you’ve read previous posts on my blog, then you’ll see some of the other great buildings from my visit there, and I still have a few more to post.
Anyway, as I drove back from Oak Park, I parked my Jeep in the driveway of a different quick service restaurant, hopped out, and took a ton of photos in about 10 minutes. Yes, I was the only middle aged white guy with silver hair in the hood, so I sorta stood out. I simply smiled and said hello to those who looked at me, got my images and then bolted. When I got back to my friends house, I told her about my adventure. She said What! You went where?! Oh my god, don’t ever go there again, especially at night. You know when a fine looking black woman tells you to stay out of the hood, you’d better listen. I know I’m no Anderson Cooper covering some war torn country abroad, but I did feel like a bit of a rebel for being willing to get my blog photos. That said, so often these old buildings are in parts of town that are less than desirable. So you just have to throw on your best New York attitude and go for it. It’s always so rewarding when you come away with so many amazing images. I hope you like them as much as I do.
Laramie State Bank Building, Chicago, IL, Photo Romi Cortier
MIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Photo by Romi Cortier (model unknown)MIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi CortierMIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier
A spectacular desert MIRAGE, designed by Doug Aitken, sits just above Racquet Club Drive in Palm Springs. Nestled in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, this site specific public art installation is part of a larger project titled Desert X.
I discovered this installation oddly enough on Instagram while searching the hash tag Palm Springs, or #palmsprings. It was one of those… wait, what is this, moments. By the following weekend I’d found it’s location online and made a beeline for it first thing Sunday morning, before the day heated up. It’s remarkable how something so recognizable as a suburban home, can nearly disappear when clad with mirrors. To quote Aitken, I wanted to take that form and drain it… drain it of narrative, drain it of history…. take all of the texture, surface, history. His inspiration for this sculpture is the architecture you don’t remember. I was interested in what you had driven by thousands of times and you don’t even register its presence because it’s just so much a part of the pattern.
For me, it made me think of the sci-fi film Predator, where the invisible villain reflects it’s surroundings, only being visible when it moves. So much of this home simply disappears as you move around it, because it’s reflecting the landscape. And once you’re inside, it becomes a human scale kaleidoscope. It’s quite odd to traverse the interior, not quite sure of what you’re looking at. You have to move slowly and carefully to get your bearings. That said, there was an air of giddiness and complete joy, as people of all ages experienced this space plopped in the middle of a desert oasis. I hope to return again and again, so that I can experience the home in different types of light. That said, the hours are from sun up till sun down, there’s no access after dark. It’s rocky terrain and there are rattlesnakes, so be aware of your surroundings if you choose to visit.
This art installation will be open to the public until October 31, 2017, and is free to the public.
