Binoculars Building

The Chiat/Day Building (unofficially referred to as the Binoculars Building) is a commercial building located in Venice, Los Angeles, California, which incorporates the public artwork Giant Binoculars (1991) by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen on its street-facing façade.[1][2] Built between 1991 and 2001 for advertising agency Chiat/Day (now TBWA\Chiat\Day) as its West Coast corporate headquarters, it was designed by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry, and was his last project in Los Angeles until the Walt Disney Concert Hall began construction in 1999.[3]

Binoculars Building
Binoculars Building
Alternative namesChiat/Day Building
General information
TypeCommercial office
Architectural stylePostmodern
Address340 Main Street
Town or cityVenice, Los Angeles, California
CountryUnited States
Coordinates33.99525°N 118.477083°W / 33.99525; -118.477083
Current tenantsGoogle
Completed2001
OwnerW. P. Carey & Co.
Design and construction
ArchitectFrank Gehry

The building is notable for the three different styles used in the main façade on Main Street, particularly the massive Giant Binoculars sculpture covering both a car and pedestrian entrance. The entrance to the parking garage is between the lenses of the binoculars. The 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) building was delayed for a few years after hazardous materials were found on the building site, requiring removal. TBWA\Chiat\Day is no longer a tenant in the building, having moved to the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. The Razorfish agency once had offices there. The latest tenant of this building was Google in 2011,[4] which added two neighboring buildings as part of a major expansion to establish a larger employment presence in Los Angeles.[3][5][6]

Panorama showing proportion of building

See also

References
  1. "Giant Binoculars" (1991) by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen". Public Art in Public Places. April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  2. "Claes Oldenburg" Archived April 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine guggenheim.org, retrieved Dec 25, 2009
  3. Verini, James (11 September 2003). "L.A.: Gehry's laboratory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  4. Sarno, David (January 26, 2011). "Google Leases Office Complex in Venice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  5. Sarno, David (26 January 2011). "Google leases office complex in Venice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  6. Carlson, Nicholas (8 February 2011). "Photos Of Google's Wacky New "Binoculars Building" Office On Venice Beach". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
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