LA Architecture Tours, Sightseeing & Tourism

The Caltrans District 7 Headquarters enlivens downtown Los Angeles with its high tech design, while, according to Morphosis architect Thomas Mayne, considering the urban aspect, "office culture", and environment. Commissioned by the State of California, the Caltrans District 7 Headquarters was designed by Los Angeles' own architectural firm Morphosis beginning in 2001 and completed in 2005. The building occupies the full square block bounded by Main, Los Angeles, 1st and 2nd Streets, and brings life to a once desolate area with the assistance of a public plaza.

Morphosis' inspiration for this kinetic architecture is the automobile -appropriate for the client and Los Angeles in general. The Caltrans District 7 Headquarters building features a double layer skin, with the outer skin acting like the body of car - protecting the interior and its inhabitants via a transformational and changing facade of perforated, aluminum panels that open and close according to the sun's position. Office workers inside can adjust the panels to control the amount of light and air let into individual offices, which themselves are arranged in a non-hierarchical manner and give workers a greater sense of control over their surroundings. 

With it's massive "100" address numbers, this avant-garde masterpiece is hard to miss. The attention to detail and extraordinary design demonstrate Morphosis' mature ability to come up with novel solutions for 21st century architecture. 

The Caltrans District 7 Headquarters is seen on the LA Architecture Tour and LA Highlights Tour