All About Colors
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — As I mentioned the other day, I'm unsold on the color scheme of the Pan American Lofts building. I took some new photos this morning, and I like it better than I did the first time, but I'm still not ready to stake an opinion.
When I did first see the colors I thought instantly of Angels Flight. Today I checked and sure enough my memory was correct -- the railway sports a peach coloring with black accents. Whereas the Pan American tends toward the pinker side of peach, though, Angels Flight goes toward orange.
The Pan American site says that "The exterior facing 3rd St and Broadway will be restored based on the rules of the downtown conservancy." In the comments for the last post Jay Platt from the Conservancy says that they haven't had any talks about how the building should be painted. Hmmm...
For more fun go to the Pan American site and check out the Surrounding Area page. That "Arco Plaza" shot is possibly the worst choice they could have come up with while still at least having the buildings in frame.
David Kennedy on November 15, 2006, at 02:51PM – #1
You should check out the Anjac Fashion Buildings along Spring Street between 8th & 9th. The back of all these buildings received a paint job over the summer. I think the results are excellent. The choice of colors is quite pleasing. It better be, since my entire unit faces these buildings.
Believe me, it could be otherwise. Looking North-east from my unit, we can see a lot of buildings got a paint job. One flop-house hotel got the treatment in mauve or some shade of purple. Ugh. Still, It definitely makes for a more interesting view. The best of the lot is one of the new condo projects along Los Angeles between 7th & 8th. Very vivid orangey-red. Looks good from here. Maybe not up close.
Still, all this painting activity is a clear barometer of the improving fortunes of downtown. Nothing like a fresh coat of paint to quickly improve the appearance of a building.
kenarch on November 15, 2006, at 06:02PM – #2
Yeah, the Arco Plaza shot stinks. Nothing like trying to cram too much into a photo - and the biggest problem is that the pic shows the plaza as a totally forbidding dead zone (hmmm... I wonder how THAT happened... quite an indictment of '70s and '80s corporate "architecture"). What's even more bizarre to me is that Pan-Am used the rather institutional feeling architectural model to photograph Staples... what, the real thing isn't good enough??? As for the colors downtown - yes, I agree with David - color is very, very important on a large building - and it is nice to see some creative colors instead of "standard issue beige or gray". The Anjac Fashion Buildings do look great - the back of the Orpheum Lofts (in one of those buildings) is a deep reddish orange, etc. Those buildings are extremely visible from most parts of the Fashon District and the southeast part of Downtown... especially the patio at Angelique Cafe, so I am pleased to see Anjac has a little creativity and maybe even a sense of humor. The graphics were nicely retouched also - there is a lot of character in those old vertical lettering jobs. The Gerry Building at 8th & LA St is great as well. I really like what MJW did with the colors at Santee Village perhaps best of all though. The bright yellow, deep green and that almost bizarre plummy red seem to work great together. One of the things I like most about LA is the color - there are all sorts of bright, even gaudy buildings in the city. It is greatto see Downtown brightening up (finally). Yeah, Pan Am looks a little bit off-color, but it's OK with me. Better than dirty concrete again!