In The Sketches of Frank Gehry, the architect referred to Santa Monica Place, which he completed in 1980, as the project that prompted people to ask him why he was wasting his time and talent, and got him to refocus his career.
True, Santa Monica Place didn't age gracefully, but name one mall that does, and at the time it was regarded as breakhtrough design.The current owner, Macerich Co., had plans to demo the whole thing, and extend the Third Street Promenade all the way to Main Street, Ocean Park, and Venice. This as part of a 10-acre complex of high-rise condos, shops and offices that got the local community chocking on its beloved human scale.
After numerous consultations, Macerich came up with new plans: Santa Monica Place will be kept, remodelled, and its roof razed to open up to the great California skies. Macerich's ambitions are still there, albeit subdued. Project here. Articles in LAT & SMDP.
[edit 03/12/07: Gehry Not a fan of his own work in SMDP]
[edit 06/25/07: Raising the Roof in Santa Monica in CurbedLA]
[edit 12/20/07: Waiting Game in SMDP]
illustration Macerich Co. via SMDP
