emblematic project
Introduction
The Theme Building is an emblematic building located at the Los Angeles International Airport, in the Westchester neighborhood "Westchester (Los Angeles)") of the city of Los Angeles, United States. It opened in 1961 and is an example of the design school influenced by futuristic architecture known as "Googie" or "Populuxe."
Architecture
This distinctive white building looks like a flying saucer that has landed on its four legs.[1] It was designed by a team of architects and engineers led by William Pereira and Charles Luckman"), which also included Paul Williams&action=edit&redlink=1 "Paul Williams (architect) (not yet drafted)") and Welton Becket. The initial design of the building was carried out by James Langenheim of Pereira & Luckman").
The appearance of the building as a single homogeneous structure is an illusion. The two intersecting arches actually consist of four reinforced concrete legs that extend about five meters above the ground, and a hollow steel framework covered with stucco that makes up the rest of the lower part and the entire upper part of the arches. In order not to change the appearance of the building with visible reinforcements, the Theme Building was equipped with a mass damper to counteract seismic movements.[2].
History
According to the airport's original design, carried out by Pereira & Luckman in 1959, all terminals and parking were connected to a large glass dome, which would function as the circulation center. The project was scaled down considerably, and terminals were built elsewhere. degrees, but subsequently became stationary.
The Los Angeles City Council designated the building a historic-cultural landmark (number 570) in 1993.[4][5] A $4 million renovation, with retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, was completed before the Encounter Restaurant opened in 1997. Visitors can ride an elevator to the building's Observation Floor, located on the rooftop of the Encounter Restaurant. It has 360-degree views of the planes arriving and departing the airport.[6] After the September 11 attacks, the Observation Plant was closed for security. Following a $12.3 million restoration completed in 2010, it reopened to the public on weekends beginning July 10 of that year. In addition, on September 9, 2003, a permanent memorial honoring all those who perished in the September 11 attacks was unveiled on the building's grounds.[8]