Cola Bottling Company (Robert V. Derrah, 1937) 1334 S. Central Ave., photographed 1978. Photography by Robert Landau.
Join us for a program on the Art Deco architecture of Los Angeles with architectural historian Alan Hess in conversation with author/photographer Robert Landau at the historic Blinn House in Pasadena in celebration of the publication of Art Deco Los Angeles (Angel City Press, 2025)..
Art Deco Los Angeles by Robert Landau is a stunning photographic tour through one of the most glamorous architectural eras of the City of Angels. Released just in time to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes—the 1925 Paris exhibition that defined the Art Deco movement—this book pays tribute to the enduring legacy of this bold and luxurious style.
Featuring photographs from more than forty years of Robert Landau’s extensive body of work, Art Deco Los Angeles features architectural treasures that have been meticulously preserved, like the Eastern Columbia building, and those that are no longer standing, such as the iconic Pan-Pacific Auditorium, which tragically burned in 1989. With meticulous attention to detail and an artist’s eye for composition, Landau captures the energy, elegance, and optimism of a golden age, inviting readers to experience the magic of Art Deco like never before.
Accompanying these striking visuals is an illuminating essay by Alan Hess, one of Los Angeles’s premier architectural historians, whose expert insights provide a deeper appreciation of the city’s Art Deco treasures.
Robert Landau will sign books before and after the program. Doors will open at 1:30 PM.
The Blinn House pre-dates the Art Deco era (but is terrific in its own right), but for those who have time before or after the book talk, we encourage you to look at three of Pasadena's Art Deco gems in the neighborhood. Stop in at Sweetgreens to eat lunch before the program. It is housed in a wonderful Art Deco building and former movie theater. Addresses will be sent to all attendees.
Author Robert Landau.
Robert Landau is a photographer and author of several visual books, including the internationally acclaimed Rock ’n’ Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip. His photographs have been shown all over the world. A native Angeleno, his take on L.A. is distinctively passionate and journalistic.
Alan Hess.
Alan Hess is author of twenty books on Modern architecture including the landmark Googie: Fifties Coffee Shop Architecture in 1985. His other subjects include Oscar Niemeyer, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ranch houses, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs. He serves on the California Historical Resources Commission, and the Preserve Orange County and Palm Springs Modernism Week boards. Buildings he’s landmarked include CBS Television City, Bullock’s Pasadena, Norm’s La Cienega, and the nation’s oldest McDonald’s stand. He’s received the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Honor Award, Docomomo/US’s Award of Excellence, and the Los Angeles Conservancy’s President’s Award.
Blinn House, 1906.
About the Blinn House
Located at 160 N. Oakland, the Blinn House was designed in 1905 by renowned Chicago architect George Washington Maher. It stands unique in Pasadena and California as the only known Maher residential structure built west of the Mississippi River. The home is now the headquarters of Pasadena Heritage.
Featuring finely detailed woodwork and paneling, beautiful fireplaces, hardwood floors and a later addition conference room designed by famed Pasadena architect Myron Hunt, the Blinn House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, both individually and as part of the Ford Place Historic District. The Blinn House is also a Pasadena Cultural Landmark and is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources.
Chicago Architect George W. Maher (1864-1926), recognized as one of the finest architects of his time, is credited with the design philosophy known as the “Motif-Rhythm Theory,” whereby geometric and/or floral motifs were repeated as decorative elements throughout a structure. He is also cited, along with Frank Lloyd Wright, as a leading architect of the Prairie School, a popular Midwestern style of architecture originating in Chicago.
$12 Member (plus fees)
$15 General (plus fees)