Binoculars Building
The Binoculars Building is a commercial building which incorporates a public sculpture ‘Giant Binoculars’ in its façade.
Located in Venice, Los Angeles, the building was originally built for the advertising agency Chait/Day, between 1991 and 2001. It was designed by the architect Frank Gehry.
Gehry’s post-modern design began with two very different structures, together making up 7,000 sq. m of office space. Gehry wanted to connect and anchor the two in the centre using a ‘giant random object’ as a sculpture. The giant binoculars, designed by artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, became the access point to the building for both cars and pedestrians.
The binoculars were constructed on a steel frame, clad with concrete and cement plaster painted with elastomeric paint.
Two tall and unusually-shaped rooms were created inside that open onto a conference room. Both rooms are fitted with a huge elongated lightbulb suspended from the ceiling.
The building is now one of the many offices leased by Google, but it remains an intriguing and unusual example of Gehry's work.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Building of the week series.
- Calakmul Corporate Building, Mexico.
- Frank Gehry.
- Griffith Observatory, LA.
- Piano Building.
- Ray and Maria Stata Center.
- Robot Building, Bangkok.
- The Atomium.
- The Bierpinsel, Berlin.
- The Sharp Centre for Design.
- Unusual building design of the week.
- Walt Disney Concert Hall.
- Watts Towers.
Featured articles and news
Twas the site before Christmas...
A rhyme for the industry and a thankyou to our supporters.
Plumbing and heating systems in schools
New apprentice pay rates coming into effect in the new year
Addressing the impact of recent national minimum wage changes.
EBSSA support for the new industry competence structure
The Engineering and Building Services Skills Authority, in working group 2.
Notes from BSRIA Sustainable Futures briefing
From carbon down to the all important customer: Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living.
Principal Designer: A New Opportunity for Architects
ACA launches a Principal Designer Register for architects.
A new government plan for housing and nature recovery
Exploring a new housing and infrastructure nature recovery framework.
Leveraging technology to enhance prospects for students
A case study on the significance of the Autodesk Revit certification.
Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance
Announced during commons debate on the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report.
CIAT responds to the updated National Planning Policy Framework
With key changes in the revised NPPF outlined.
Councils and communities highlighted for delivery of common-sense housing in planning overhaul
As government follows up with mandatory housing targets.
CIOB photographic competition final images revealed
Art of Building produces stunning images for another year.
HSE prosecutes company for putting workers at risk
Roofing company fined and its director sentenced.
Strategic restructure to transform industry competence
EBSSA becomes part of a new industry competence structure.
Major overhaul of planning committees proposed by government
Planning decisions set to be fast-tracked to tackle the housing crisis.
Industry Competence Steering Group restructure
ICSG transitions to the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) under the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme
CIOB PCCCS competence framework for Principal Contractors.
The CIAT Principal Designer register
Issues explained via a series of FAQs.
Comments
The building on the right is Frank Gehry's. He collaborated with an artist called Claes Oldenburg who does large sculptures like these binoculars.