3 hour Los Angeles architecture and movie location tour – on foot!

I felt like touring some of my favorite design locations from both an architecture and movie perspective. What better place than LA for this?

So … In the course of 3 hours, I visited and photographed these top movie locations and architecture sites in LA.

Tag along if you like!

The visits were done on foot starting and ending in Santa Monica, traveling with the LA Metro.

Total cost: 5,5$

Tour start: 16:00 hours. I was back a little more than 3 hours later.

First, a stroll by Santa Monica City Hall. An art deco gem. Sandy yet sharp shapes against a deep blue LA sky.
There is a certain aesthetic to these things at the Santa Monica Metro station. So they get an honorable mention.
Then a visit to Union Station after a ride with the LA metro to downtown. A mission revival / art deco power house. People rush through this place without appreciating the design that makes this a classic.
The inside of Union was prominently featured in Blade Runner. Deckard’s boss has office in this room.
To TRAXX. Art deco shapes competing for attention.
Union station information desk.

I had to leave and movie on.

Then a stroll by this brutalist masterpiece. The US Court House in Down Town LA
Right next to it an absolutely massive art deco gem. The LA city hall.
“He that violates his oath profanes the divinity of faith itself.” – Cicero quote on the art deco city hall of LA.
Not far from this: LA times headquarters. An art deco masterpiece.
LA TIMES reception area. Art deco en masse. No geo shapes left behind.
Next stop: The million dollar theatre. Prominently featured in Blade Runner across from Sebastian’s appartment. The style is called Spanish Baroque.
Across from that, an absolute Romanesque Revival masterpiece. The Bradbury. This is Sebastian F’s appartment in Blade Runner.
Then I had dinner here in Grand Central market. A Beaux Arts bonanza and amazing food court. I will be expensing a 13 $ Spicy deep pan pizza.
Grand Central market from the outside.
Then walking towards downtown LA for some Heat movie shootout location.

But … I had to turn around and go back and see the Bradbury again. I missed it after 15 minutes. I went back.

Bradbury entrance. Blade runner, Romanesque revival. The columns you see outside the apartment in the movie were a prop.
The Bradbury inside. It was closed. I tried to sneak in with people exiting. A guard inside prevented that from being a successful endeavor.

But then.. check this movie clip out;

Spanish Baroque details on my way back.
One gem, two gems. I spotted this gangsta murdered out GT buick in front of an art deco building at 401 5th street. WOW!!!
Pershing street skyline with One Wilshire in the background. It’s getting dark. I better get back.

I still have one more movie location to go: where Mcauley meets Eady at 3rd street Santa Monica. Right next to our hotel. This place is now a Lululemon brand store:

The time is now 1848, and I’ll get off at the site above, then head back to the hotel.

Neil meets Easy right where those sports bras are

Which is located at Santa Monica 3rd street

Thanks for tagging along my short movie and architecture trip!