Capturing Mid century buildings before they disappear

The Valley went through it’s big growth spurt right after WWII. During the 50s’ the baby boomers flocked to the new suburbia. Along with housing came office buildings and apartment buildings as well. These days many are being threatened as once again, construction is booming here. So as I go out and about, I’m taking pictures of buildings I pass every day. The ones that are mostly invisible to me.

Here is a typical example, one that no one ever pays any attention to. Painted brick walls, the large curtain windows that are separated by the bricks. An outdoor staircase.

Here we have the flat roof, the columns as well as the protruding supports. Of course what I love bout this one is the Art Deco Style lettering. I think this is rather new. As I always like to say, when a new style emerges, it doesn’t immediately erase the old style, they co-exist for a while. My guess is that this convalescent home was looking at Letter-types and simply like the Art Deco. Without any knowledge of the progression from Art Deco to Mid-Century.

Ok, so the rounded tower isn’t covered in gold mosaic like the May Company building on Wilshire. But we do have the curtain windows as well as the breezeway blocks, probably hiding the parking level.

And now, onto an apartment building. These are beginning to be torn down, bigger taller ones replace them. Once again, flat roof, curtain windows. Ugly astroturf on the entrance stairs. But there is an open courtyard, something that is completely gone from the modern apartment buildings.

This builder really liked the Gothic font and the very grandiose name. To most people these buildings are invisible, which is why I like showcasing them from time to time.

Just a lovely Valley home. Someone took the effort to make this one look especially pleasing.

OK, so the local chamber of commerce has been painting and decorating the big electrical boxes on the streets. Nice job here with the penguins.

It was a lot of fun to continue my walk and come across this address plaque. I’m seeing a theme here.

Leah

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