University of California, Irvine

Some of the newer buildings by Frank Gehry, SOM, et. al warrant merit too, but the most remarkable architecture are the original campus buildings designed by William Pereira and Associates. Sadly, some have been altered from Pereira’s original vision. That notwithstanding, most buildings are as futuristic today as they were in the mid 1960s. Each of Pereira’s original campus buildings were built on platforms, with railings, bridges, and wide staircases surrounding the footprint of the buildings. This design not only made heavy concrete buildings seemingly float above the landscaping, it also was reminiscent of cruise ships docking at a harbor. The brutalist concrete buildings also feature sculpted concrete sunshades, making the windows appear more as portholes. A handful of the remaining and unaltered concrete brutalist structures include: Langson Library, University Tower, Aldrich Hall, and Crawford Hall. (2020)

Architect: William Pereira & Associates, Various

Built: 1965 - Present

Style: Brutalist, Post-Modern

Type: Civic

Address: Varies (Campus Drive and Peltason Drive)

City: Irvine

Sources:

Lubell, S., & Bradley, D. (2016). Mid-Century Modern Architecture Travel Guide: West Coast USA. London, England: Phaidon Press Ltd.

UCI. (2020). Browse Buildings By. UCI Specialties Collections, UCI Libraries, University of California, Irvine. special.lib.uci.edu/collections/anteater-chronicles/browse-buildings-by