Writing in the latest issue of Los Angeles magazine (not online), LAObserved contributor Mark Lacter tries to answer the question that what we've all been wondering: What the hell is the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, anyway?
In a profile of Charles Cohen, the owner and operator of the sprawling complex, Lacter reveals Cohen's name is etched 54 times into the six glass doors at the project's entryway and that Cohen has paid $50 million on renovations, $25 million more than anticipated, since buying the place nine years ago. Also, Cohen's wife sounds like a piece of work. Project architect Cesar Pelli admits that Cohen's latest Red Building may not be to everyone's taste ("[Cohen] runs the risk that not many people will want to work in a bright red building"), but the architect does believe the 400,000-square-foot complex will be among "the most exciting and the most important architectural statements" in the world. In the end, the "what is it" question is answered this way: The PDC is all about Cohen's ego. Bonus Los Angeles data via Chris Nichols' column: Paranoid Tippi Hedren types will want to know that yes, there are more crows in the city. The population of the birds has steadily been growing since the 80s. More shots of the under-construction complex here. [All images via The RedBuilding.com]
· Los Angeles magazine [Official Site]
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