LOS ANGELES | One & Two California Plaza | 578 FT/750 FT | 42/52 FLOORS | 1985/1992

[plinko]

California Plaza is a multi-tower complex occupying a prime spot along Grand Avenue on top of Bunker Hill in downtown Los Angeles. The two tower office complex also incorporates a large water garden, an Omni Hotel, the Colbrun School of the Performing Arts, and the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

The towers themselves are sleek reflective forms with opposing curved facades. Each broken form is given a slightly different shade of blue glazing. The tops of each tower are capped with an argon strip, purple on One California Plaza, blue on the taller Two California Plaza.

Both towers were designed by Arthur Erickson. A third, unbuilt tower was planned just east of Two California Plaza and would have been 65 floors, but it was cancelled in the early 1990's.

I'm fairly indifferent to both of these towers. Neither is really all that spectacular (2CP is more interesting visually than 1CP) and both of them look like they belong in Calgary. Regardless, the water garden is a lovely public space and the MOCA is a downtown gem. They do add alot of bulk to the skyline which is good.





Source: my postcard collection


Two California Plaza under construction in June of 1990: