Griffith Observatory Door - Los Angeles, CA - Doorways of the World on Waymarking.com

From the Observatory web site:

Architectural design for Griffith Observatory began in 1931 and was led by John Austin and Frederic Ashley, based in large part on drawings made by amateur astronomer Russell Porter. The architects had to alter their plans substantially as a result of the Long Beach earthquake of March 10, 1933. The Observatory's structural system was reinforced with additional steel rebar and thicker concrete walls, replacing the original design which called for the exterior of the building to be sheathed in terra cotta. The covering for the planetarium dome was also changed from the planned ceramic tile to the now-familiar copper panels. The official groundbreaking occurred June 20, 1933, and the Observatory's grand opening was May 14, 1935.

The original building, a 27,000-square-foot cast-in-place concrete structure, is typically identified as Art Deco with both Moderne and Modified Greek influences and a Beaux-Arts influenced plan. Because the building was built during the Great Depression, when prices for many goods and labor plunged, the funds from the Griffith Trust enabled the architects to select both elegant and durable materials for the Observatory.

The building exterior reflects a wide range of detail, including the Greek key pattern cast directly into the concrete, the elegant bronze and glass on the main entrance doors, the decorative metal window grilles, the copper-covered domes, and the federal Public Works of Art Project-funded concrete sculpture on the front lawn, the Astronomers Monument. The interior of the Observatory was designed with the finest materials of the day, including travertine, marble, ornate wood and bronze metalwork, and attractive signage. The design of the public spaces, particularly the alcoves, was clearly intended to convey a sense of monumentality and importance, consistent with the "cosmic" topics presented.

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Type of material of the door: Steel Functional door?: Yes Location of this door/way: On private property Is it accessable only by paid admission": No Style: Modern Address or physical location: Griffith Observatory 2800 East Observatory Road Los Angeles, CA 90027

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