Eastern Columbia Building

Eastern Columbia Building (Los Angeles, USA)

Date Completed 1930

Architect Claud Beelman (1883 – 1963)

Style Art Deco

Location Los Angeles, USA

The Eastern Columbia Building is constructed of steel-reinforced concrete and is coated in a lustrous turquoise terra cotta with rich gold and blue accents. The vertical focus of the structure is emphasized by dramatically sunken sections of twin windows and cantilevers with copper paneling divided by vertical pillars.

The façade has a plethora of themes, including sunburst designs, geometric patterns, chevrons, zigzags, and exaggerated plant and animal motifs.

The structure is topped with a four-sided clock tower inscribed in neon with the word “Eastern” and topped with a central chimney flanked by four stylized flying buttresses. The walkways on the building’s sides are multi-colored terrazzo tiled in a vibrant design of diagonals and chevrons.

The center main entry has a stunning two-story sunken entryway with a gold and blue clay sunburst. Initially, the entryway opened to a pedestrian shopping arcade that ran through the middle of the building.

Photo Galkab, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons