The Bradbury Building

The Bradbury Building is an architectural landmark Address: 304 South Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013 Type: Commercial Office Building Architect: George H. Wyman Opened: 1893

General Information

The Bradbury Building was originally built as an office building. It is the oldest commercial building in downtown Los Angeles. Today the building serves as headquarters for the Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs division and other government agencies. The Bradbury Building is a unique treasure lies behind its modest exterior. The light-filled cathedral-like atrium that rises almost 50 feet with ornate iron railings, marble stairs and two open cage elevators.

History

In 1892, Lewis Bradbury, a mining and real estate millionaire, had a plan to have a five story office building constructed close to the Bunker Hill neighborhood.   Sumner Hunt, a local architect, was hired to complete a design for the building, but was replaced with George H. Wyman. Bradbury felt that Wyman could understand his own vision for the building better than Hunt.There is no evidence that Wyman changed the design which leaves the identity of the building architect a subject of debate. Wyman designed other buildings in the Los Angeles area, but the Bradbury Building was his only major success. Sumner Hunt went on to design many other notable buildings including the Southwest Museum. Initially, Wyman refused the offer to design the building. He changed his mind after having a ghostly talk with his dead brother Mark Wyman while using a planchette board with his wife. The ghostly message came through said "Mark Wyman/ take the / Bradbury building/ and you will be / successful" with the word "successful" written upside down. After this episode, Wyman accepted the job.

In 1892, Lewis Bradbury, a mining and real estate millionaire, had a plan to have a five story office building constructed close to the Bunker Hill neighborhood.   Sumner Hunt, a local architect, was hired to complete a design for the building, but was replaced with George H. Wyman. Bradbury felt that Wyman could understand his own vision for the building better than Hunt.There is no evidence that Wyman changed the design which leaves the identity of the building architect a subject of debate. Wyman designed other buildings in the Los Angeles area, but the Bradbury Building was his only major success. Sumner Hunt went on to design many other notable buildings including the Southwest Museum.

Initially, Wyman refused the offer to design the building. He changed his mind after having a ghostly talk with his dead brother Mark Wyman while using a planchette board with his wife. The ghostly message came through said "Mark Wyman/ take the / Bradbury building/ and you will be / successful" with the word "successful" written upside down. After this episode, Wyman accepted the job.

During construction of the building, an active spring was found beneath the work-site which could potentially shut down work on the building by weakening the foundation. Mr. Bradbury believed that this project would be greatest monument to his memory: he imported massive steel rails from Europe in order to bolster the building and allow construction to continue. Unfortunately Lewis Bradbury died months before the building opened in 1893.

Architecture

The exterior of this building is an Italian Renaissance-style of brown brick, but it is the interior of this building that gives it magnificence. The five-story central court features glazed brick, rich marble, tiling, ornamental case iron and polished wood. The skylight allows the entire court to be flooded with natural light. The cage elevators are surrounded by wrought-iron grill work rather than masonry. The use of ornately designed wrought-iron railings which are supposed to give the illusion of hanging vegetation.

Bradbury spared no expense for this project: the floors are composed of Mexican tile, the marble used for the stairs was imported from Belgium and the walls are made of pale grazed brick. The wrought-iron was executed in France and before being installed in the building it was displayed at the Chicago World's Fair.

References

 1. ^ a b c d e "The Most Famous Building In Science Fiction". io9. http://io9.com/5128982/the-most-famous-building-in-science-fiction?skyline=true&s=x. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.
2. ^ a b "Blade Runner Film Locations: Bradbury Building". BRmovie.com. http://www.brmovie.com/Locations/Bradbury_Building.htm. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.
3. ^ a b "Bradbury Building". wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradbury_Building. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.
4. ^ a b "Bradbury Building". Los Angeles Conservacy. http://www.laconservancy.org/tours/downtown/bradbury.php4. Retrieved on 2009-07-15.