LOS ANGELES | The Gas Company Tower | 749 FT / 228 M | 52 FLOORS | 1991
 

The second of three office towers built by Maguire Thomas Partners using air rights from the LA Central Library, The Gas Company Tower serves as the corporate headquarters for The Gas Company, a Southern California utility company.

The tower sits at the base of Bunker Hill, fronting 5th Street and Grand Avenue. It shares the block with the AT&T Switching Center. The tower's long east-west form rises with broken corners to a series of setbacks that is finally capped by a pointed ellipse, which breaks each end of the facade.

The building was designed by Richard Keating and was his last completed while heading up the SOM Los Angeles office.

The tower has appeared prominently in the movies Speed and Virtuosity, both of which prominently featured the mechanical spaces within the elliptical roof.

I like this building for its simple geometric forms. Keating's use of a variety of greys in the spandrel panels breaks up the massing and offsets the reflective blue glazing. The massing actually steps down from Bunker Hill (although it is very subtle) and the crowning ellipse is unique on the skyline.

The long linear lobby is interesting and a ridculous design challenge (one end of the lobby is a good 50' higher than the other). I wish I had better photos of it.

I do wish this building had better lighting....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO003.jpg

While this building is the 4th tallest in the city, due to Bunker Hill it appears to be 6th. Two California Plaza, just 1 full block up Bunker Hill is only 1 foot taller, yet appears at least 75' taller in the skyline:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO005.jpg

Under construction in the summer of 1990:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO008.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO010.jpg

Love that shape:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO016.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO018.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO019.jpg

I really like how the building masses against Pershing Square and the Biltmore Hotel across the street:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...LAGASCO020.jpg

Ah, one of my favorites. :yes: Its a shame that the building dosnt have better lighting.

Ive always found the massing kinda funny,but i like neverless

I prefer the Gas Company tower over the Library Tower. :) I've heard that the lights inside the crown have been turned on in the past. I wonder if anyone ever took pictures of it lit?

If the crown were to be lit a deep blue at night (ala a gas lit flame), it would be perfect.

Lighting that crown up would rock, big time.
What a handsome gem of a skyscraper. Lighting would only improve that.

A beautiful tower indeed.

One of my favourite LA towers. Love the sleek bluish shades of the facade and glass.

One of my LA faves, along with 777 Fig & the Wells Fargo set. I also wish they lit this tower.

I've always loved this one. So crisp.

I've always liked the Gas Company Tower. The finish is superb.

Nice shots, plinko. I love your building threads.

the round top reminds of the goldman sachs building in manhattanhttp://propgoluxury.com/images/ArticleImages/0/409.jpg

i was thinking the exact same thing :haha: