This post first appeared in 2019.
California architecture includes some unique industrial and office spaces. From the simple lines and elegance of the Salk Institute to the over-the-top glamor of the CAA Building, a wide variety of styles reflect the diversity and beauty of the Golden State.
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
The courtyard of the Salk Institute in La Jolla perfectly expresses the striving of its scientists, drawing the eye relentlessly towards a better future. The rill fountain seems to run to eternity, into an open vista where anything is possible. (Design by Louis Kahn, 1962.)
New CAA Building
The new (as of 2007) headquarters of the Creative Artists Agency in Century City, designed by Gensler, is controversial, with detractors calling it “the Death Star,” but the building perfectly reflects the unapologetic glamor and ethos of the entertainment industry–it is definitely designed to be seen and talked about. The central atrium provides a glimpse of the towers behind the lower structure, framing them as a movie camera might. It is also, according to the architects, among the most energy efficent buildings in Los Angeles.
Santa Rosa Cannabis Processing Facility & Dispensary
This is a 3D rendering of a state-of-the-art cannabis processing facility in Santa Rosa, CA
The finished building will be 10,000 sq. ft. and includes an elegant, rustic dispensary and modern commercial kitchen. It’s designed to be very energy efficient with insulated metal panel walls, solar panels, all-LED lighting, a high-efficiency HVAC system, and EV charging stations for staff and customers.
Transamerica Pyramid
The Transamerica Pyramid brought San Francisco industrial architecture into the modern era and gave the city a recognizable skyline. The geometric shape identifies it as distinctly modern, while the white quartz exterior is entirely in keeping with the city’s Mediterranean feeling. Architect William Pereira’s love for science fiction comes through clearly in the design, and its green building elements – the public park at the base and the design allowing natural light to permeate the area around it – were ahead of its time.