Michael Rodriguez... downtown LA

As a native Angeleno, as well as an architectural junkie and preservationist, I am well aware of Los Angeles' preoccupation with it's redevelopment efforts in it's inner city core. For decades now, ever since the early 60's when much of Bunker Hill's turn-of-century structures were razed to make way for the glass and steel towers that now punctuate our skyline, the city planners have tried to reinvigorate the downtown core; hopefully to create a user friendly round the clock enviornment for visitors and downtown citizens. Mistakes have often been made; such as the not very popular elevated pedestrian walk ways built largely during the 80's. These tend to be difficult to find, isolate pedestrians from the street, and discourage use of street side spaces that make a city vibrant. Then there are the all too many lackluster blank and therefore lifeless plazas that were designed to ancor many of these modern towers to our urban streetscape. Someone even thought that a subterranean shopping center, buried deep beneath the elegant ARCO towers, would bring new life to our fair city. Unfortunately, Angelinos wary of earthquakes and spoiled by our nearly year round sunshine rejected this concept...resulting in a cavernous and empty vault of miscalculated design. And let's not even discuss the futuristic interior void within the Bonaventure Hotel, designed by Canadian architect John Portman. It probably looked great on paper; but, hasn't been very successful!

Los Angeles has also struggled with it's image as a global city; resplendent with a living, breathing, exciting, and usable urban core...found in San Francisco, Chicago or New York. Are we a global city, or aren't we! For a long time no one seemed to really know. We definitely can boast that our city is rich in architectural treasures, despite our urban youth. We have a majestic Historic core, filled with gracious beautiful buildings pre dating WWII...currently being recycled as valuable live/work spaces.

Today, Los Angeles proudly anticipates one of the most important and architecturally significant buildings of this new century. Most everyone has heard about it; or read about it; but, not many of us venture down to our city's core to actually witness it's birth. Rising on Bunker Hill, across from the current Music Center complex, this structure truly represents one of the first great structures of the 21st Century! Designed by now world renowned local architect Frank Gehry; the Los Angeles Philharmonic will soon occupy it's beautiful new home in the fall of 2003. Generously funded by Mrs. Walt Disney (with her initial $50 million donation); then, stalled for years by disinterest, mismanagement, and the misunderstanding of the significance of it's design; the Disney Concert Hall project is well on it's way to completion.

Frank Gehry's notoriety gathered steam in the early 80's with his unorthodox use of simple, inexpensive, and familiar building materials. His use of wire mesh, plywood, corrugated panels in his Santa Monica home and in Santa Monica Place startled many, excited few, and befuddled most. With global recognition, numerous notable projects outside the US, his architecture has reached an artistic level of maturity: and is now proliferating across the globe; but, often bypassed here in his hometown. His whimsical "Fred and Ginger" structure in Prague; the now famous Guggenheim Museum in Bilboa, Spain; and, his Rock N Roll Museum in Seattle are just a few of the fantastic visionary structures in his repertoire. Everyone seems to want a Frank Gehry building in their city!

After countless design revisions, Los Angeles will now join those ranks; and will possess one of his most fantastic designs. The sensuous fluid lines and dazzling contorted masses of the new Disney Hall seem to defy gravity, twisting and turning, curving and floating (this buildings' various forms are so complex and precise that it would not be possible without computers). His insistence on making the Hall's main foyer a natural "living room" for Los Angeles bodes well of his mastery of his art...imagine the use of architecture as functional and livable space. The auditorium's 360 degree seating arrangement will intimately involves the audience with the orchestra. The acoustics are expected to be among the finest "state of the art" on the planet. Situated on Grand Avenue, the concert hall will create a wonderful cultural corridor along with the existing Music Center complex, which will be freed for expanded Ballet and Opera seasons; the new Roman Catholic Cathedral (from initial inspection, not a pretty building...more on this project soon); MOCA's main hill top site; the Claireborne School for the Performaning Arts. The Disney Hall is a testament to great architecture; to the creative vision and enthusiasm of the modern downtown business leadership; and, to the philanthropy of Mrs. Lillian Disney. Frank Gehry's gift to our city will hopefully inspire greater architectural expectations of the community on the whole and make us a more sophisticated citizenry. Move over New York, Paris, London...Los Angeles has arrived as a World City.

Mr. Gehry's Disney Hall is one of the most anticipated projects in this city's history. Already a show stopper for pedestrians; living, working, or just visiting downtown; it's been wonderful to watch it's spectacular form take shape. Make an effort to spend a day downtown. There's much happening there. It's an exciting time for Los Angeles. There are many free concerts scheduled throughout the summer, all over downtown. Go and see the Warhol exhibit at MOCA. Just make sure to stop by and witness the birth of the 21st Century in Los Angeles. Thank you Mr. Gehry.

Michael A. Rodriguez