Had a brief drive-by (stopped offsite for 10 minutes) of Westfield Century City in November with an architect friend who did some work on it last year. I was surprised how small it felt driving by, though I think that was from my own expectations. I thought it seemed smaller than Brentwood until i thought about it; they're close. Plus, I remember the place before (Century Square) and walking through it back then, it seemed larger.
Regardless, I am sure it will be a success, but with a critical eye: the design has a coolness factor but is also a bit sterile and does not organize itself through a wide enough range of scales. Brentwood is aiming to replicate a level of complexity and place that Westfield does not. The lack of residential + the lack of towers also makes this a much more traditional complex.
The video shots over the food court area are what most resembles what is being done here, but its not quite the same. In LA, a court that is traditionally inside here, can easily be without a roof. But that doesn't change its functional, spatial, or circulatory contribution to the public realm. To do that, you need to design it as a component that works with others (walkways, passages) and is layered with multiple uses so that the location becomes central in more than just one way (a centre for rest and food).
Last edited by Marshal; Jan 26, 2017 at 8:46 AM.
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