Gentry Pacific Design Center

Gentry Pacific Design Center. Located in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, this distinctive structure is a landmark of Mid-Century Modern commercial design. Originally developed as a showroom and manufacturing facility for a prominent furniture company, it has evolved into a hub for the design industry in Southern California. The building is celebrated for its innovative architectural form and its role in the city's cultural and commercial landscape.

History

The center was commissioned in the early 1960s by Gentry Industries, a major manufacturer of Danish modern furniture founded by Elbert Gentry. The company selected renowned architect John Lautner, a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright, to design its new headquarters and showroom. Completed in 1964, the facility consolidated the company's operations from a previous location on Beverly Boulevard and served as its primary base for over two decades. Following shifts in the furniture market and the company's eventual decline, the property was sold and repurposed in the late 1980s, transitioning from a single-tenant industrial site to a multi-tenant design center. This conversion helped preserve the structure during a period of significant redevelopment in the surrounding Mid-Wilshire district.

Architecture and design

The building is a prime example of John Lautner's innovative use of concrete and geometric form. Its most striking feature is the massive, hyperbolic paraboloid roof, a thin-shell concrete structure that appears to float above the glass-walled showroom below. This engineering feat, engineered by the firm of William L. Pereira, creates a vast, column-free interior space spanning approximately 200,000 square feet. The design incorporates Lautner's signature principles of integrating structure with landscape, featuring interior gardens and a central courtyard. The architectural style is closely associated with the Googie architecture movement and shares aesthetic principles with contemporaneous works like the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport.

Tenants and usage

Since its conversion, the center has housed a diverse array of tenants from the design and creative industries. It functions as a permanent showroom and marketplace for high-end furnishings, textiles, lighting, and architectural materials. Notable past and present tenants have included showrooms for brands like Hollywood at Home, Janus et Cie, and M2L. The space also regularly hosts major industry events such as the Los Angeles Design Festival and WestWeek. Beyond commercial showrooms, portions of the facility have been used for film and television production, featuring in projects like *The Fast and the Furious* franchise and *Iron Man*, leveraging its distinctive architecture as a backdrop.

Cultural significance

The design center is recognized as a culturally significant monument to Los Angeles's post-war economic boom and its embrace of futuristic design. It was awarded landmark status by the Los Angeles Conservancy and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building is frequently cited in architectural surveys and studies of John Lautner's work, alongside his other iconic projects like the Chemosphere and the Elrod House. Its preservation is seen as vital to understanding the development of commercial architecture in California during the Space Age. The center also plays a role in the local creative economy, providing a centralized venue that influences design trends across the Southwestern United States.

Redevelopment plans

In the 21st century, the site has been the subject of several high-profile redevelopment proposals. A major plan announced in the 2010s, led by developers Hackman Capital Partners and involving architecture firm OMA, proposed adding residential towers, a hotel, and additional retail space while preserving the historic Lautner structure. These plans have generated debate among preservationists, urban planners, and community groups in neighborhoods like Beverly Grove and Mid-Wilshire. The project's review process involves city entities like the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. As of recent years, the future of these ambitious plans remains a topic of ongoing discussion regarding the balance between historic preservation and urban density in Los Angeles.

Category:Commercial buildings in Los Angeles Category:John Lautner buildings Category:National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1964