Los Angeles Public Library, 630 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA

Significance: Designed by noted architect Bertram G. Goodhue, in 1924, the Los Angeles Public Library shows influences from the beaux-arts, the art deco idiom of the time, and of the California missions. Along with Goodhue's Nebraska State Capitol of the same period, the building takes design elements from various periods, but is overall an extremely original, effective composition. Arts were integrated into the design in the form of sculpture, tile and terr-cotta work, and mosaics. / The Los Angeles Public Library, designed by Bertram Goodhue (1924) with Carlton M. Winslow, Sr. as supervising architect, combines Beaux Arts elements with plain surfaces and detailing. The building is particularly noted for its pleasant park setting, and oasis in the midst of Central City's high rise development. It rises from this park to its pyramidal capped central tower which is finished with shimmering mosaic suns on blue backgrounds. Within, the severe forms of the domed rotunda are relieved by the large painted murals and stencil work. The building abounds in stylized Egyptian sculpture and wall paintings.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: FN-230
Survey number: HABS CA-1937
Building/structure dates: 1926 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: ca. 1982 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 70000136