Business Council Gives Top Architecture Prize to New LAPD HQ
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
LAPD's Police Administration Building, which opened in October, took the top prize at the 40th annual Los Angeles Architecture Awards.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The new headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department was awarded the top prize at today's 40th annual Los Angeles Architecture Awards, an event sponsored by the Los Angeles Business Council. The 500,000-square-foot building opened in October as LAPD Chief William Bratton prepared to step down.
The project, located across 1st street from City Hall, got praise for its incorporation of public amenities, including landscaping and park space. A component of that space is Peter Shelton’s sixbeaststwomonkeys, which was recently honored as one of the 40 best public artworks commissioned in 2009 by the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit arts lobby Americans for the Arts.
Downtown winners also included the L.A. Live complex (Community Impact Award), the YWCA's under-construction Job Corps Center (Entrepreneurial Spirit Award), the New Carver Apartments (Affordable Residential) and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences and JW Marriott at L.A. Live (New Buildings - Hospitality).
Guest on June 29, 2010, at 05:39PM – #1
I've lived in the Higgins Building since 2005. I fought against this project, hoping for the promised park, also once known as "green space". To be fair, I agree that the design and thought that went into the building is quite nice. Although I think every city center needs a "city center", they've managed to keep some of the views and added green space where they could. All we need now is for someone to get that dirt strip on 2nd back to green grass. Seriously, they throw an event, destroy the grass and now we've got a 2 acre sand pit to play with ... is that just me?
Guest on June 29, 2010, at 10:52PM – #2
HA! WHAT A CROCK! L.A. Live receiving any sort of architectural recognition is a vile insult to the architecural history and soul of this city! What are we (money grabbing developers) leaving our children? Giant monuments to billboard signage. All of the new architecture like the W hotel in Hollywood, and more importantly L.A. Live are engineered first and foremost as sign holders. Think of Union Station, the Bradbury building, L.A. Live receiving any sort of architectural award diminishes all the other awards that they gave away.
DavidAC on June 30, 2010, at 09:12AM – #3
I was also against this project, but have been extremely impressed with how it turned out. Its not just the lawn (sand lot) and the gardens in the 1st street and Spring street sides, but also the openness of the building in allowing diagonal access from Main/2nd to Spring/1st.
I think that its a perfect building for the new LAPD, and the openness and access and connection that it provides are very welcome.
I think it should be called the 'Bratton Building'
Greensmark on June 30, 2010, at 04:25PM – #4
The view you presented goes to show the excellent design of this structure. It is a beautiful complement to the CALTrans building to the south. And, I believe that once the Grand Avenue Park (and hopefully the project itself) is finished, the re-model of the Criminal Courts Building and that horrid hole in the ground, we really will see the City Center at it's finest.I whole heartedly agree with this award.
As for LA LIVE, not so much. The W hotel, well, it happen to like this hotel and its addition to Hollywood. What I really want is a W hotel Downtown!! One can dream, right?
Grnsmrk
Whitman Lam on July 02, 2010, at 01:07PM – #5
Yeah, just make a building look extreme or funky enough at it will win an architecture prize. Like the Caltrans building across the street.
Does anyone ask if these buildings offer functionality to come with the edgy form ?