10 Visions of the Los Angeles That Could Have Been

Los Angeles is n’t more often than not notable for its innovative urban purpose . But there have been many attempts to transform the city into a modern metropolis through visionary computer architecture and transit project . In their exhibitionNever Built : Los Angeles , theArchitecture and Design Museumis showing off the coolest of what LA could have become .

Frank Lloyd Wright Huntington Hartford Sports Club, 1947

Photo : Courtesy Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

B+U Downey Office Building, 2009

pic : Courtesy B+U architect

Goodell Monorail, 1963

This monorail system would have carried passengers between downtown and LAX .

John Lautner Griffith Park Nature Center 1972

Photo : Courtesy Getty Research Institute

KiribatiKelker & DeLeuw Subway Plan, 1925

Early plans for LA ’s subway system of rules featured across-the-board coverage throughout the city — a far cry from the special routes of today . In the remainder , it was money and politics that dictated what was eventually built .

Lloyd Wright Civic Center Plan, 1925

Photo : Courtesy Eric Lloyd Wright

OMA LACMA proposal, 2001

The LA County Museum of Art considered this ambitious proposal with a huge canopy ceiling . Ultimately , the control panel voted for a more cautious proposal .

Photo : Courtesy OMA

Pereira and Luckman, LAX original Plan, 1952

An original plan for LAX had a chalk dome overlay the entire airdrome . evidently , there was also talk of building it on an island off of Santa Monica .

Photo : Courtesy LAWA Flight Path Learning Center

Santa Monica Offshore Freeway, 1965

LA ’s heavy traffic force planners to consider radical measures like this off - shoring main road in Santa Monica . It was scrapped — to the delight of beach - leaver .

pic : courtesy City of Santa Monica