Architecture Attractions in Los Angeles and Southern California
See Attractions for more fun things to see
and do.
- Rancho Los Alamitos.
"Rancho Los Alamitos (Ranch of the Little Cottonwoods) was originally
known as Povuu'nga. The story of Rancho Los Alamitos reflects almost every
era of the history of Southern California. Beginning around 500 A.D. when
the mesa was an important ceremonial and trading center for the Tongva
people, the story flows through the Spanish and Mexican periods, spans the
great cattle raising years, the early 20th Century oil discoveries, and
moves on into the rapid urbanization that followed World War II.
Today, surrounded by modern development, the old ranch house, four acres
of tranquil gardens, and barns stand as vibrant reminders of Southern
California's rich historical legacy. There are five agricultural
buildings, including a working blacksmith's shop, live farm animals, four
acres of nationally significant gardens designed by the preeminent
landscape architects of the 1920s-1940s, and a sprawling adobe ranch house
dating from c.1800. Walk around the site and enjoy this rare oasis and the
shared legacy of regional culture and environment..."
Los Angeles
- Angels Flight Railway. "For 25 cents a ride, the newly-restored
Angels Flight connects Downtown L.A.'s historic core, (and the nearby
Broadway retail district and the Grand Central Market), with the modern
financial district atop the hill, ending at the California Plaza
Watercourt, featuring shops, restaurants and a public live entertainment
space accentuated by fascinating water-jet displays. The Museum of
Contemporary Art is also nearby..."
- Angels Walk.
"Los Angeles - the City of Angels - is a city built on dreams. The dream
of the immigrant seeking a new beginning, the dream of Hollywood with its
promise of a life of glamour and riches, the dream of wide open spaces and
sunny golden days. In the Bunker Hill/Historic Core Angels Walk you will
experience these dreams in the L.A. that exists today, in an L.A. that
thrived almost a century ago and in an L.A. that existed only in
imagination. You'll see a Victorian's view of what a futuristic building
would look like in the year 2000 and its splendors will take your breath
away. Shop for pigs' snouts and exotic medicinal roots in a bustling
indoor-market. Hear water fountains crash like ocean waves in a dramatic
water garden that covers more than an acre. See a headless businessman
take out his frustrations on an office building and see a library topped
by a golden pyramid. Journey through the pages of Raymond Chandler and
through the scripts of Blade Runner, Speed, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and
Chinatown. Ride into history on the shortest railway in the world. All
this and more is here in Downtown Los Angeles within a square mile (or
two). And you can see them all just by taking a short journey.
Step out onto Angels Walk—where dreams begin..."
By Deanna Spector
- Architecture Tours L.A. "Architecture Tours L.A. will introduce to you and explore the unique and
fascinating architecture of Los Angeles. Long regarded as the city of the
future, L.A. is home to some of the most original and innovative
architecture in the United States and the world, as well as being home to
virtually every conceivable historic style, reflecting the diversity and
imagination of the people who live here.
One of our tours starts in the heart of Hollywood at the stunning Capitol
Records Tower Building, which was built to look like a stack of records,
and guides you throughout the city focusing on the unusual and outstanding
architectural gems of this dynamic metropolis. You'll see structures
ranging in style from Egyptian Revival to Chateauesque and Tudor to sleek
mid-Century modern to Post-Modern, all in the comfort of a deluxe van with
leather bucket seats, strong air-conditioning and two sun roofs for
maximum visibility."
- Bradbury Building. "The Bradbury Building, built in 1893, is one
of Southern California's most remarkable architectural achievements. Its
plan was commissioned by real estate and mining entrepreneur Louis L.
Bradbury who decided to build it just a few blocks from his home on
fashionable Bunker Hill and not far from the base of Angels Flight."
- Gamble House. "The
Gamble House in Pasadena, California, is an outstanding example of
American Arts and Crafts style architecture. The house and furnishings
were designed by Charles and Henry Greene in 1908 for David and Mary
Gamble of the Procter and Gamble Company. The house, a National Historic
Landmark, is owned by the City of Pasadena and operated by the University
of Southern California and is open for public tours." Comment:
The Gamble house is on my top ten places to see in the Los Angeles area if
you are interested in architecture and design. Visiting the Gamble
house is experientially similar to visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water House. Once
you have seen the Gamble House or the Falling Water House you will wonder
why so many contemporary homes are so poorly designed.
