Never Was Magazine

[Never Was Magazine]

Lost Los Angeles: Hollywood Hotel

Introducing a new photo series, #LostLA, starting with the Hollywood Hotel

The Hollywood Hotel, Los Angeles, at night (Los Angeles Public Library) Built at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in 1902, the Hollywood Hotel hosted many of the film industry’s pioneers, including Louis B. Mayer, Mae Murray, Norma Shearer, Irving Thalberg and Rudolph Valentino. Its Thursday night dances became legendary. The hotel fell into decay in the 1940s and was…

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Unbuilt London: Proposed Charing Cross Pedestrian Bridge

#UnbuiltLondon: Proposed Charing Cross Pedestrian Bridge

Proposed bridge across the Thames by T.E. Collcutt and S. Hamp This proposed street bridge across the Thames seems to take its inspiration from the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. It would have replaced what is now called the Hungerford Bridge, also known as the Charing Cross Bridge after the Charing Cross railway station situated on its north end. One of the architects was Thomas Edward Collcutt, who…

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Unbuilt DC: Washington Monument Gardens

#UnbuiltDC: Washington Monument Gardens

Watercolor rendering of the proposed Washington Monument Gardens by Charles Graham for the United States Senate Park Commission in 1902 In the early twentieth century, American legislators determined to improve the historical core of Washington DC. A commission led by Senator James McMillan of Michigan introduced proposals, many of which were implemented piecemeal. The National Mall was…

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Unbuilt London: Imperial Monumental Halls and Tower

#UnbuiltLondon: Imperial Monumental Halls and Tower

Design for an Imperial Monumental Halls and Tower in London by Edward Buckton Lamb and John Seddon, 1904 (RIBA Collections) Several schemes were considered in the late-ninenteenth century to expand Westminster Abbey in central London. It was felt the church had become too crowded with monuments and more space was needed. John Pollard Seddon and Edward Beckitt Lamb found the solution in adding a…

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Tomorrowland concept art, probably by Herb Ryman

1954 Herb Ryman concept art for Tomorrowland’s entrance with a painting by Collin Campbell

1953 Tomorrowland concept art by Dale Hennesy

Every Disney theme park has its Tomorrowland. The one in Paris has Jules Verne-style attractions. Disneyland Hong Kong this year launched an Iron Man attraction.

The original Tomorrowland opened in California in 1955. It was meant to show visitors what America would look like in the year 1986. Above are some of the original artworks produced for the park.

1965 concept art for Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain, by John Hench

1965 concept art for Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain, by John Hench

Disney redesigned Tomorrowland in the 1960s. One of the new attractions was to be an indoor rollercoaster called “Space Port”. John Hench, a prolific Disney designer, created several concept drawings for the iconic dome of what would later be named “Space Mountain”.

#UnbuiltLA: Disney’s Tomorrowland Concept Art Every Disney theme park has its Tomorrowland. The one in Paris has Jules Verne-style attractions. Disneyland Hong Kong this year launched an…

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Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (LAX Flight Path Learning Center)

Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (LAX Flight Path Learning Center)

Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (LAX Flight Path Learning Center)

Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (LAX Flight Path Learning Center)

Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (LAX Flight Path Learning Center)

Original design for the Los Angeles International Airport terminal (Metropolis Books)

The most recognizable structure of Los Angeles International Airport — indeed, perhaps of Los Angels altogether — is the Googie-style Theme Building, resembling a flying saucer. It for years housed a restaurant with 360-degree views of the airport.

In the original design, which was made by the firm Pereira and Luckman, the site of the Theme Building would have been occupied by an enormous glass dome connecting all the terminals, which are now separate. It was rejected by the Los Angeles Building Department, which thought the plan too radical and worried that the cost of air conditioning the dome might be be exorbitant.

Also, the airlines wanted their own terminals — no matter the inconvenience to travelers changing flights at LAX.

#UnbuiltLA: The Original LAX Terminal The most recognizable structure of Los Angeles International Airport – indeed, perhaps of Los Angels altogether – is the Googie-style Theme Building, resembling a flying saucer.

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Unbuilt Los Angeles: World Trade Center

#UnbuiltLA: World Trade Center

Proposed World Trade Center for Los Angeles (Environmental Design Archives, University of California, Berkeley) The construction of the Vincent Thomas Bridge connecting the city with Terminal Island threatened to make the San Pedro Municipal Ferry Building obsolete in the 1950s. One idea, seen here, was to replace the building with a Los Angeles World Trade Center spanning seven city blocks.

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