“During the mid-20th century, Los Angeles rapidly evolved into one of the most influential industrial, economic, and creative capitals in the world. With its mild climate, diffuse development patterns, and car-oriented culture, L.A. attracted new residents with the promise of an informal, independent lifestyle. At the same time, the city was emerging as a hotbed of cutting-edge architecture.

Christopher Alexander, assistant curator of architecture and design at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles and co-curator of Overdrive: Los Angeles Constructs the Future, 1940–1990, talked with NBM Online about the exhibition, L.A., and its connection to Washington, D.C.”

From “Los Angeles Constructs the Future,” National Building Museum Online (September 26, 2013).

Image: Mobil Gas Station in Anaheim, CA, 1956, photographed by Julius Shulman, courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust.