Architecture Field Trip - South Bay LA
J: You should head home after dropping me off at the airport.
C: I think I’ll have breakfast, check a couple of places out, then head back late mid-morning.
J: That’s 5 hours from now! What are you going to do for 5 hours!?!
And with that, this is how the morning unfolded…
From LAX I headed several miles south to Manhattan Beach.
First up, a short visit to Vons for a couple of non-perishables items. At checkout, I got a breakfast recommendation for The Kettle, open 24 hours. This was a good recommendation as it was quite early - pre-sunrise before most restaurants are open.
Seeing as I had time to spare, I decided to take a walk on the pier before breakfast. As shown above, the pier is quite photogenic with a red-roofed roundhouse at the end and turquoise painted railings. Looking back towards shore, I was rewarded with a nice sunrise view.
The Kettle, open since 1973
After a filling breakfast, I headed towards Sepulveda Blvd. to view the South Bay Bank (now Citizens Bank), a mid-century steel and glass building with a forecourt shaded by a gridded aluminum grill. The bank was Craig Ellwood’s first commercial project - a hidden gem amidst the strip-mall architecture along Sepulveda.
A Streamline Moderne building in Redondo Beach was the next item on the itinerary. There were a couple bonus sights in the general area, including a roadstop car wash with modern geometric, concrete screen.
Having seen photos of The Riviera United Methodist Church designed by RIchard Neutra and Killingsworth Brady Smith beforehand, the church was a primary tour stop for me. It was great to see in person, though I need to find the time to photoshop out the SUV parked prominently out front!
The Tiki apartment complex complete with tiki columns was a bonus architecture moment right next to the Riviera Methodist Church.
As a fan of Millard Sheets work, I stopped to view the artwork at the Rolling HIlls Estates-Rancho Palos Verdes Home Savings Bank (now Chase Bank). I recommend reading this wonderful article Banking on Beauty: Rolling Hills Estates-Rancho Palos Verdes by Adam Arenson. What a treat to view the mural, the leaping dolphins sculture and the stained glass inside.
The final architecure stop before heading home was the Kawahara House by Craig Ellwood which presented nicely from the street. On that high note, I headed back and arrived home 6 hours after I dropped J. off at LAX :-)
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There was another airport drive this week to pick up J. upon his return. The intent had been to park at the airport garage nearest his arrival terminal. Unfortunately, that garage was full so I had to park at the last one, P6. As luck would have it, the exit booth to pay for parking after leaving P6 lets you see the iconic and futuristic Theme Building at ground level. A nice and fitting reward for this driver!
LAX Theme Building designed by Pereira and Luckman, 1961