Design and Architecture
William Pereira: Who Was He?
William Pereirabuilt much of Los Angeles. Carolina Miranda talks about growing up in Pereira’s mind. Alan Hess talks about why he matters to the LACMA site.
By Frances Anderton • • 13m ListenWilliam Pereira’s legacy includes the LAX Theme Building, the original LACMA and the City of Irvine. But the Paul Newman-lookalike is mostly forgotten. Now he is being recognized with a show in Reno, Nevada, while LACMA plans to tear down his buildings. Carolina Miranda talks about growing up in the mind of William Pereira. Alan Hess responds with the importance of history in determining what should occupy the LACMA site.
In this episode
2 storiesCarolina Miranda
Carolina Miranda is a reporter who grew up “in the mind of William Pereira,” in the City of Irvine. She decided to learn more about a man whose work is hidden in plain sight. Along the way she concluded that while some of his buildings are worth preserving, those at LACMA are not.
Read the story7 minAlan Hess
Alan Hess, a historian and writer of many books on California architecture, believes that at minimum we should study Pereira’s legacy carefully, before willfully demolishing his buildings at LACMA. He tells DnA why he found the LACMA show frustrating and why we should consider the past as we imagine the future on the Miracle Mile.
Read the story6 min