An Eclectic Community and Amazing Library

Today I had homework and studying to do and one of my favorite things is to pick a random public library to work in. A few months ago, the Los Angeles County Library system opened a new location of its West Hollywood branch and I decided to finally make my way to this new spot.

I boarded the number 218 bus which snaked its way over the Santa Monica Mountains, through Laurel Canyon.


Once at Crescent Heights and Santa Monica Boulevard, I waited for the number 4 bus which would take me to West Hollywood Park and the new library. At this corner I began observing my surroundings as well as researching the area on my phone. West Hollywood is significantly notable as an eclectic mixture of a LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community, a senior citizen community, and large numbers of Russian immigrants.
West Hollywood was previously an unincorporated patch of urbanized land surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles, and on the fourth side by the city of Beverly Hills. In 1984 it incorporated as a municipality, specifically to better serve the needs of LGBT, Russian, and elderly residents who had been living there. It's also one of the densest communities in LA County, with over 30,000 people living in less than 2 square miles, mainly in tightly packed apartment buildings 3- to 5- storeys tall along little side streets off the main boulevards. There are also a few high-rise residential buildings.

Besides the LGBT-friendly businesses, Russian establishments, and services for the elderly, West Hollywood is also the location of the world-famous Sunset Strip, a nearly 2-mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard which is lined with bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, offices, and giant billboards.

The area around La Cienega, Melrose-and adjacent streets, is a major design district with numerous galleries, offices, studios and showrooms and the massive Pacific Design Center, a complex of three buildings built over the last few decades and designed by Cesar Pelli. The three buildings are Center Blue (completed in 1975), Center Green (completed in 1988), and Center Red (due to be completed soon). Most of the designing is for interior work, particularly furniture.

The library is across the street from the Pacific Design Center on San Vicente Boulevard (hey!).

A sparse white space, it nevertheless has protrusions that undulate across the exterior and has subtle artistic enhancements on the staircase to the main level and on the ceiling itself.

The main floor has floor-to-ceiling windows that let natural light in for optimum reading. The views are incredible, and I was quite frequently distracted from my work.

The views spanned the Pacific Design Center across the street,
Cedars Sinai Medical Center to the south,

Century City and Beverly Hills to the southwest,

and Downtown Los Angeles in the distance to the southeast, across the treetops.

As befits the area, there was a prominent LGBT section and books in Russian. There was also a large section of art, architecture, and interior design books.

After completing my work and looking around the library for awhile, it was almost 7pm and the library was going to close. I walked down into West Hollywood Park where I noticed signs in Russian

 and some street art on a parking structure.

Side streets were lined with Jacaranda trees in full bloom.

I began heading home, happy to have explored the area. Previously I had just experienced some of the nightlife options in the area, specifically on the Sunset Strip, but It was nice to walk around the area in the daytime and see the neighborhood as a place full of variety and aesthetic interest.

BONUS:

(A photo of the area around the Pacific Design Center that I took from a helicopter in June 2011).

(The eastern end of the Sunset Strip including the high-class hotels like the Standard, Mondrian, and Andaz, as well as nightlife spots like the House of Blues and the Comedy Store).

(The western end of the Sunset Strip including the tall Sierra Tower condo building).