Iconic LA: Stories of LA's Most Memorable Buildings

Glendale, CA: Balcony Press, 2000. Cloth, 119 pages, illustrations; 30 cm. Firm binding, clean inside copy. Dust jacket protected in a mylar cover. OVERSIZE! No priority/international, except by special arrangement. Profusely illustrated. "The twelve buildings of Iconic LA, identifiable the world over, demonstrate the personality and power of Los Angeles as a major metropolis. Their stories are the story of a city in progress, an urban biography that tells a century's worth of history. Like a character in a movie, each of these buildings has played a role in an unfolding human drama complete with intrigue, political struggle, tragedy, and triumph. The architect of the Bradbury Building accepted the commission after consulting a Ouija board and was inspired by a futuristic novel written in the late 1800s; in 1984 the building became a set for the futuristic-noir film Blade Runner. The Jetson style LAX Theme Building provides an indelible image of one of the world's busiest airports; however, few know the poignant story of its designer, Paul Williams, one of Los Angeles's most important African-American architects. Frank Gehry's design for the Disney Concert Hall suffered criticism, public apathy, and political frustration; in 1999 construction officially began on what will arguably be the city's most visible and popular landmark. Other buildings discussed include Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, Watts Towers, and Case Study House #22. / Gloria Koenig is a fiction and nonfiction writer whose short stories have won literary prizes, and whose work has appeared in numerous local and national publications, including the Los Angeles Times." - Publisher.. 1st. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 4to. Collectible.