Thirteen floors?, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

Back in downtown Los Angeles. This is the Title Guaranty Building, aka. Guaranty Trust Building on 401 West 5th Street. It's built in an art deco style and using what is known as "zig zag" design, as it is a product of the hight restriction days. Until 1964 there was a city ordinance forbidding buildings over 13 floors, due to the earthquake threat.

However, by placing machinery, engine room, water supply aso. on top of the building, in reality it got higher without breaking the law. And using the mentioned design, which means tapering off the upper part, an illusion of the building being higher than reality was created.

In 1931 when the building was completed, this was very important, as building high was a sign of wealth and prosperity in a nationwide race. And even today it's mere 63m/207ft stand well up against the 228m/749ft of the sixty years younger Gas Company Tower from 1991!

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Post pro: Cropped, ran autolevels and adjusted brightness -5 & contrast +5, resized, sharpened, framed (color from sunshade windows) and saved for Web (<200kB).

pamastro, orme, drummerboy oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

pamastro (7296) 2004-03-22 12:28

Nice view. I like the contrast with the Gas Company Tower. The colors are nice throughout, also. There is a bit of graininess to the photo, though. And the Guaranty Building seems a little overexposed. Probably because of the intense lighting and such a reflective building material in comparison to everything else. But the way its overexposed like this it really emphasizes this building and really makes it stand out against the Gas Company Towers' greater height.

orme (7219) 2004-03-24 21:43

A great architectural shot, Kaj. You have framed the main building perfectly, with the two taller buildings on either side of it. I also like the way the lighter colour of the Title Guaranty Building contrast with all the surrounding colours. Well seen. Good note.