The Theme Building is a
landmark structure at
Los Angeles International Airport within the
Westchester neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. It opened in 1961.The distinctive white building resembles a
flying saucer that has landed on its four legs. It was designed by a team of architects and engineers headed by
William Pereira and
Charles Luckman, that also included
Paul Williams and
Welton Becket. The initial design of the building was created by James Langenheim, of the Pereira-Luckman firm. A restaurant that provides a sweeping view of the airport is suspended beneath two intersecting arches that form the legs. The Los Angeles City Council designated the building a cultural and historical monument (no.570) in
1992. A $4 million renovation, with
retro-futuristic interior and electric lighting designed by
Walt Disney Imagineering, was completed before the "Encounter Restaurant" opened there in
1997. At one time, tourists and passengers were able to take the elevator up to the roof of the "Theme Building", but after the
September 11 attacks, the rooftop was closed off to everyone for security reasons. It was once said the rooftop would reopen for public use, but that was determined to be a rumor.
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