The term Googie architecture — pronounced GOO-gee with hard G’s — is probably foreign to you, but you are almost certainly familiar with buildings that exemplify the style. This distinctive kind of architecture is characterized by cantilevered roofs, swooping curves, dramatic angles, large sheets of plate glass, starburst details, effervescent color palettes, and neon signage. It’s widely considered to have originated in Los Angeles, California in the mid-twentieth century, and it became popular with roadside businesses looking to catch the attention and money of LA’s ever-increasing population of motorists as they sped by. Though the polarizing and arguably tacky architectural trend first started gaining popularity in Los Angeles during the economic boom following World War II, it soon spread across the country.
The unique nomenclature of this architectural movement originated as the name of a restaurant in LA. Iconic architect John Lautner designed the ultra-modern building that became home to Googies coffee shop, located on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights in West Hollywood. Googies was a hit among Hollywood stars like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Dennis Hopper, but traditional architecture critics and fans bemoaned the building’s unserious, tacky style. Douglas Haskell, an architecture critic, wrote negative things about this new style of architecture and its trendy, ephemeral nature, but by doing so he actually popularized the Googie architecture term.
LA was the perfect place for this burgeoning new architectural style. The polarizing aspects of Googie architecture were intentionally employed by roadside businesses like diners, car washes, and motels to snatch the attention of passing motorists. The bright lights and exaggerated signage clearly and unmistakably communicated the nature of these businesses and the services they offered. Examples include the iconic towering Arby’s cowboy hat sign on Sunset Boulevard, and much of the Las Vegas strip. Googie architecture and its exciting and inspiring designs likely wouldn’t have grown to popularity without LA’s automotive infatuation.
Googie architecture’s rise was also fueled by the space race. Cantilevered structures recall floating or flying saucers and rocket ships, and the frequency of futuristic starbursts, atomic shapes, and rocket-like fins also referenced the zany zeitgeist of the era. The sixties space-age cartoon “The Jetsons” incorporated Googie style in its depiction of a futuristic utopia, with many of the buildings looking remarkably similar to the Seattle Space Needle. The wonder and optimism of that era of American history aligned perfectly with the flashy, exciting development of Googie architecture, and the style really blasted off.
As we’ve come to understand in modern society, trends are increasingly fleeting. The polarizing nature of Googie architecture grew outdated, and many Googie-style structures have been razed to make way for new trending design fads, but thankfully not all. There are still many remaining examples of the style across the country, but Los Angeles really loves its Googie structures.
The oldest remaining McDonald’s still occupies its original early Googie design that was constructed in the city of Downey in 1953 thanks to the advocacy of architecture fans. The giant Arby’s cowboy hat sign that has caught the attention of innumerable LA locals and troves of tourists that drive along LA’s iconic Sunset Boulevard in rented Mustang convertibles was recently preserved thanks to community outcry despite Arby’s selling the property. One of the first things that tourists from around the world see when they land at Los Angeles International Airport is the Theme Building, a zany ufo-shaped structure that stands tall in the middle of the airport property, and as they drive away from LAX (or more realistically sit in traffic after leaving LAX), they likely pass another early Googie icon, Pann’s Diner on La Tijera Boulevard. In Burbank, the Bob’s Big Boy Broiler is still wildly popular and home to frequent car shows, and it’s one of, if not the earliest Googie-style building, dating back to 1949.
Whether you see these kitschy, impossible-to-ignore structures as sacrilegious to the ancient art of architecture or you think they’re the just bees knees, the impact that Googie architecture has had on American and global culture is undeniable. I made it this far in the blog without mentioning that I’m an LA native, but as a native Angeleno, I grew up being enchanted by these buildings, and I never considered that they wouldn’t exist without cars. I think the world needs more whimsical designs rather than austere and sterile spaces, so I am grateful for the flashy exciting designs that are affectionately referred to as Googie architecture.
