James and Family

Continuing from Part 1.

Included in our LA trip was a visit to the Getty Center -- a definite highlight for me. I have been wanting to visit this place since the late 1990s.

The currently have a very interesting exhibit of Rembrandt's religious works. But being an architecture enthusiast, I enjoyed seeing the buildings themselves.

I had the opportunity, briefly, to work with Richard Meier's design team during my employment at San Jose, CA, as they were working on conceptual designs for San Jose's New City Hall. Working with RM&P (Richard Meier & Partners), and hearing his staff, and Meier himself, speak about his design, was absolutely thrilling for me. I will always have a fond remembrance of those times.


My goal as always was to take pictures that capture the "essence" of the place -- something I continually strive for, and in which I am not usually successful.

Surely enough when I got there, I felt overwhelmed because of the scale, not to mention the 3-yr old hurricane/daughter in tow. So I scratched my goal off and decided to just enjoy the place and shoot away at the whatever I saw.

At least it was a good opportunity to scout the facilities for the next time I visit. And we had a lot of fun. I'm glad my family was with me to share it.




The entrance block into the Getty Center.


Maila near the entrance.


A view of the atrium from the outside. (I didn’t get to find out what it is officially called)


An interior view of the atrium.


Maila was able to get this shot inside the Rembrandt exhibit. This, after I promised the security personnel that I wouldn’t take photos.

While it may look like I was taking in the details, my mind was constantly on 3-yr old Isabel, and what havoc she might be inflicting just a few yards away.

UPDATE (3.12.05): This painting, by the way, is a portrait of Rembrandt as Saint Paul in a turban.


At a railing near one of the the cafés.


Taking a break at one of the cafés.


Overlooking the cafe.


A view of the same café, overlooking West LA.


Architectural detail 1. I think everyone who visits has a photo of this. So now I have one too. Like the person in the foreground, I couldn’t help admiring the curves.

As you may have noticed by now, architect Richard Meier implements a “grid” design of sorts in many aspects of the design, which may call to mind a big sheet of graphing paper.

The structure here is clad in 30-inch aluminum square panels, a size meant to relate to people (ie, about one arm’s length). The grid itself is meant to give a sense continuity throughout the facility. The grid element implemented on the travertine stone ground surface (not shown here) aligns with neighboring Sepulveda Blvd and the Los Angeles map grid system.


Another view of those curves.


Yet another view of the curves, with the stairway and greenery in the foreground.


Several things about this structure here: how it stands out against the background, how it frames part of the background, and the oddity of its purple color.

Richard Meier and his designers can talk quite extensively about the color white -- its purity, its absoluteness, why he implements it in all his designs, etc.

The explanation for the purple pergola would be too long. So I won't bother to include it here.


The sculpture in the front. I didn’t get the chance to find out more about this one.


Maila took Isabel to enjoy the garden area while I took a short walk to shoot away at other areas.