Coca-Cola Building

1334 South Central Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90021

Robert V. Derrah's Coca-Cola Company Bottling headquarterst was built in 1936 and is a gem of the Streamline Modern style, a late branch of Art Deco, that put an emphasis on curving forms, long horizontal lines, and oftentimes nautical elements.  The Coca-Cola building was constructed by uniting five industrial buildings, including the 1927 plant, into a streamlined, early 20^th century style ocean liner complete with hatches, portholes, promenade decks, rivets and a bridge. 

If you think you've seen something like this before you probably have. Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 134, is the ‘Crossroads of the World' shopping center on Sunset and Las Palmas.  It was also designed by Derrah and completed at almost the same time as the Coca-Cola building.  Depending on who you ask, Crossroads of the World is considered to be one of the first shopping malls.  One of the reasons for its early success was that it incorporated large courtyards where customers could walk around.  Crossroads of the World includes many of the same nautical elements and embellishments as the Coca-Cola building.  A few years later, Derrah also designed and built the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Waco, Texas.  It incorporates similar round windows although its nautical touches are much more restrained.

- Nancy Lupo

(Image courtesy of USC Geography)