level

After a brief weather delay in Orange County (which roughly translates to there being a cloud in the otherwise endlessly blue sky), we squared off against the newly opened John Wayne Airport Terminal C.

As the existing terminals, designed by Gensler in 1990’s, were exceeding capacity, the firm was again commissioned to create an addition in keeping with the original. Six new commercial passenger gates, security screening checkpoints, three baggage carousels and two commuter passenger hold rooms were incorporated into the project. While keeping outward appearances consistent, David Loyola, Design Director at Gensler’s Newport Beach office, introduced new, more efficient lighting systems, daylight-filled connector links and a cleaner color palette, serving to contrast against  the new airport concessions.

An unseasonal storm front crossing through Southern California had delayed my showdown with John Wayne, so with a few hours to fill I turned off the Interstate in Garden Grove to visit the famed Crystal Cathedral and Tower of Hope. I’d driven past them many times en route to other jobs and despite the rain, was happy to get this opportunity to stop awhile.

Due to it’s rather grand scale, the 1980 Johnson-designed Crystal Cathedral somewhat overshadows the earlier and more statuesque Tower of Hope. Finished in 1968, the 13 story tower was designed by Richard  Neutra. Topped with a 90 foot neon-lit cross, the tower was the tallest structure in Orange County for more than a decade.

The staircase on the south-west corner is classic Neutra with the mass of the concrete treads playing off the slim steel rods as they cascade skyward.

Back over at the Crystal Cathedral, the darkening skies, perhaps echoing the recent financial challenges the Ministry has faced, provided a dramatic backdrop to the sleek, reflective forms of the carillion.

Most weekends, London’s financial district resembles a kind a Ghost Town, so when walking through the area early Sunday morning, it was no surprise to engage the apparition of a headless stockbroker.