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  #1  
Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 3:15 PM
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LOS ANGELES | Wells Fargo Center | 723 FT x 560 FT | 54 FL x 45 FL | 1983

In my opinion, these skyscrapers are the definitive in 1980's office tower design. Sleek, modern, sharp, clean, corporate are words that I would use to describe the Wells Fargo Center. It's not fancy nor is it adorned with setbacks and mullions or any other decoration but at the same time, what draws you in is it's versatility in it's design. Is it a rectangle? Is it a triangle? A trapezoid? It's all of those things. A very nice piece of architecture that is often overlooked in the eyes of architecture buffs. A beautiful building inside and out.


http://www.bergoiata.org/fe/Los-Ange...lding_4_LA.jpg


http://www.digital-images.net/Images..._KPMG_0650.jpg


http://www.insecula.com/PhotosNew/00...00118306_3.jpg


http://c0056906.cdn2.cloudfiles.rack....com/59301.jpg



http://www.you-are-here.com/los_angeles/wells_fargo.jpg


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...7214970b-800wi




http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2544/...9a88c932_o.jpg
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Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 3:57 PM
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Sharp pair of buildings - come to think of it, there isn't one high-rise in downtown LA that I'm not fond of. I've always thought downtown LA has an abundance of quality despite the lack of quantity.
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Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 11:07 PM
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I love red-granite clad buildings, like thiese ones, Scotiabank Tower in Toronto and the old 7WTC.
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Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 11:35 PM
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Handsome, timeless. Is there retail at the base. Dating myself here, but I remember a column, presumably written by an architecture critic, contrasting what Hines was doing in Houston with what Maguire was doing in LA. The gist of the critique is that Wells Fargo interacted with the street better than Houston's Republic Bank Tower.
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Old Posted Dec 25, 2012, 1:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale View Post
Handsome, timeless. Is there retail at the base. Dating myself here, but I remember a column, presumably written by an architecture critic, contrasting what Hines was doing in Houston with what Maguire was doing in LA. The gist of the critique is that Wells Fargo interacted with the street better than Houston's Republic Bank Tower.
Not retail but a pretty nice food court called The Court that sits in between both towers.


http://www.publicintelligence.net/wp...2009/08/la.png
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Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 11:36 PM
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agreed completely. im always drawn to this pair for man reasons
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Old Posted Dec 24, 2012, 11:38 PM
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These were designed by SOM, correct? I love the way they capture light. When we lived in LA in the 80s, these buildings seemed so tall, now they're tiny compared to the US Bank Tower.
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Old Posted Dec 25, 2012, 3:43 AM
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Gotcha, thanks.
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Old Posted Dec 25, 2012, 5:39 AM
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I love these towers, don't see a lot like them going up today. I remember them being such a big add for downtown LA, made a big impact at the time.
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Old Posted Dec 28, 2012, 12:07 AM
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A colleague of mine (now passed away) worked for SOM in the early 1980s and worked on these towers. He told me that originally they were to be 55 floors each in the initial designs. For whatever reason 1 floor got chopped on the taller tower and 10 on the smaller (he said that was for economic reasons). The original height was 760ft (I got that from a book years ago).

I've always really liked these buildings. I love the angle from near the Bonaventure that makes the shorter tower appear flat. I also really like the feel on the Grand Avenue side with the two Cal Plaza towers. The two complexes interact well at a sculptural level.
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Old Posted Dec 28, 2012, 3:49 AM
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I actually had photos pulled aside at one point to do this thread (but the ones in the OP are better).

Here's what I have:

































I still contend that this building is taller than the BofA across the street. Both buildings sit on elevated plazas at the same level (Hope Street). In the skyline this building appears at least 30ft taller. For years it was listed at 750ft and then at some point was shortened to 723ft. Unless BofA is actually shorter than 735ft. I'm really not sure.
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Last edited by plinko; Dec 28, 2012 at 4:12 AM.
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Old Posted Dec 28, 2012, 7:02 AM
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ive been to the top very breathtaking views
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  #13  
Old Posted Dec 29, 2012, 4:48 PM
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I've long thought that LA has one of the best skylines going. No, not the biggest. No, not the tallest. But a very effective clutch of skyscrapers rising to a pinnacle. And respectably designed towers at that. Mountains in the background don't hurt either.
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Old Posted Feb 5, 2013, 7:04 PM
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This didn't disappoint in person. I explored the lobby and the food court is more like a 'food mall.'

Also, One Bunker Hill (Torrey Pines Bank) was quite a discovery. Love that little guy!
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Old Posted Feb 5, 2013, 7:50 PM
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The Wells Fargo Center is now three decades old and yet is just a class act that holds up very well.

And they photograph extremely well, too. (my pics)






Wells Fargo Center & B of A Tower, Bunker Hill, Los Angeles
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Old Posted Feb 6, 2013, 2:06 AM
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A long time ago I worked at WFC. They're nice buildings. I have noticed how the KPMG Tower looks paper thin from down at the Boneventure too. I remember that the office buildings with the angle corners were shaped oddly. I think a bus was smashed into it on the movie Swordfish too.
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  #17  
Old Posted Feb 6, 2013, 2:56 AM
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Speaking of the Bonaventure, it could stand a little spiffing up inside.
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Old Posted Feb 20, 2013, 6:52 PM
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^ Funny you say that since it recently completed a multi million dollar renovation.
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  #19  
Old Posted Feb 21, 2013, 2:29 PM
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^ Funny you say that since it recently completed a multi million dollar renovation.
Offhand I'd say it needs multi millions more. The lobby seems dank. Maybe they sunk it into the guestrooms.
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