PacMutual, a closer look at a downtown Gem

I’m downtown often, giving tours of wonderful historic old buildings. I rarely have time to take pictures myself, which is a mistake on my part.

This week I arrived early for a tour and had to run up to the conservancy office for something.  I remembered to throw in my small camera and it occurred to me, time to share some of the wonderful details of this marvelous building – today known as the Pacmutual building.

This being crowded downtown, I can’t get far enough to capture the whole building in one shot.Over the main entrance we have this wonderful sculpture with the original symbol of the company Pacific Mutual Life Insurance – the mighty Redwood tree. Today the company is known simply as Pacific Life and it’s logo is the humpback whale.  But this isn’t about the company (as great as it is) but about the buildings they built downtown.Sorry about the quality of the pictures, my little pocket camera isn’t up to the task like my larger camera is. The lobby is gorgeous, I’m just highlighting some of the details, to see the whole building come on one of our walking tours.  Pacific Mutual  Life Insurance Co Initials on the marble stairway finial.The building is classic Beaux Arts through and through, here in the lobby wonderful carved marble pilasters.  I rarely pay much attention to the detail, it is worth while stopping and looking upland around.Details of the barrel vaulted ceiling, probably made from plaster and painted.The clock over the elevator bank. Clocks in public places were very important seeing that not everyone could afford a watch. The whole exterior is clad in glazed terra cotta from Gladding McBean, the largest installation in Los Angeles.  All the fine detail is wonderful,  one thing that makes this building stand out is the use of the dimensional tiles as well.I LOVE fine detail work, notice how in this corner they worked to get this perfect match.This metal and tile work is in the exterior foyer.  Great use of tile and iron.Thats it for now, there is so much more share and show, but I will leave that for another post.