Clock Tower Building, Santa Monica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clock Tower Building |
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Clock Tower Building, Santa Monica
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| Location | 225 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica |
| Built | 1929-30 |
| Architect | Walker & Eisen |
| Architectural style(s) | Art Deco |
The Clock Tower Building was built a long time ago, between 1929 and 1930. It's in the cool Art Deco style, which was popular back then. This building is the tallest skyscraper in Santa Monica. For about 40 years, it was the tallest building you could see in the city!
A group called the Bay Cities Guaranty and Loan Association asked two famous architects, Albert R. Walker and Percy Augustin Eisen, to design it. Their company, Walker & Eisen, was super important in California during the 1920s. They also designed another amazing building in Los Angeles, called the Fine Arts Building.
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What is the Clock Tower Building?
The Clock Tower Building is located at 225 Santa Monica Boulevard. This is right in the middle of Santa Monica's business area. It's also close to the popular Third Street Promenade. The building is shaped like a tall, rectangular block with a tower on top.
The bottom floor of the building has shops. The floors above that are used for offices.
How is the Clock Tower Building designed?
The building looks like one big, solid block. But it actually has three main parts.
- The first part is a wide base with big entrances for the shops.
- The second part is a strong block that gets a little narrower as it goes up. This section holds offices from the second floor to the twelfth.
- The last part is a square tower that steps back as it rises. This tower is a bit off-center from the base. It has clock faces on all four sides, which is why it's called the Clock Tower.
What materials were used to build it?
The Clock Tower Building has a strong frame made of reinforced concrete and steel. The outside is covered with bright, pure white stone. This stone looks amazing because it catches and reflects the sunny Californian light.
The big shapes and decorations on the building remind people of ancient pre-Columbian architecture. This means it looks a bit like the stepped temples and pure shapes found in Mayan and Inca buildings.
The twelve office floors have a cool, jagged border at the top. This is where you can see the most detailed decorations on the building's outside. The tall, stepped tower is also covered in white marble. It has a zigzag pattern on its sides and around the very top. You can see this tower from almost anywhere in the city. Its four black clocks with shining hands make it easy to spot and tell the time.
Why is the Clock Tower Building important?
Because it's so tall and has such a unique design, the Clock Tower Building has always been a very important part of Santa Monica. It's like a famous landmark that helps people find their way around the big city of Santa Monica.
In May 2013, a company called Sorgente Group of America bought the Clock Tower Building.
Gallery
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Clock Tower Santa Monica
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Clock Tower,exterior view
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Interior view
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Interior view - Office
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Interior view
