Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future
The sprawling city of Los Angeles is characterised by a diverse range of architecture from the sleek and refined, to the experimental and novel. ‘Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990’ explores the soul of one of America’s most complex cities.
The fabric of Los Angeles’ architecture is one of vast proportions, a city that is comprised of a complex network of freeways and dynamic buildings. A number of institutional projects, such as Disneyland, contributed to Los Angeles’ image as a place that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, while visionary architects including John Lautner and Frank Gehry created some of the most striking single-family houses ever built.
“Everyone has a mental image of L.A. thanks to its frequent depictions in movies and on television,” said Chase W. Rynd, executive director of the National Building Museum, “but few people have a clear understanding of how and why this city came to be a centre of cutting-edge architecture. ‘Overdrive’ helps to explain the remarkable design culture that emerged in L.A. during the mid-to-late twentieth century.”
The exhibition is the first comprehensive survey of the architecture of mid-to-late 20th century L.A., highlighting the city’s design vocabulary. Original drawings, photographs, models, vintage film clips, and digital displays reveal the complex facets of L.A.’s built landscape.
‘Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990’ is on display at the National Building Museum, Washington, US until Monday 10 March 2014.
