odd couplings







There's a monstrous apartment development I drive by all the time near Playa Del Rey called Playa Vista that just baffles me. Aside from the fact that it's built on top of a methane bubble and scarily encroaches the only wetlands left in the area, as more and more buildings pop up, I can't make any sense of their architecture. I'm all for mixes of styles - thats one of the things I love about the beach: having a modernist house next to a beach cottage next to spanish revival next to a cape cod... but these - well these are just odd. These massive buildings hang right on the the road (anyone ever heard of a setback?!), and all are exactly the same size, spaced exactly the same distance apart, with what look like the same floor plans - just different shells. And the shells are an almost-sort-of-Art Deco, and almost-but-not-quite modernist, a sort-of suburban office park brick, and of course a couple SpanItalianishate ones (I'm trademarking that term). Its just odd. I'm even baffled at what else to say. (I'd say its a monster, but then I'd have to resign.) I guess points for trying, but boy did they miss the mark. What a sad thing to have to give up beautiful wetlands for.
Jon BerryComment