Is it just me or does Figueroa at Wilshire command attention? This 53-story skyscraper pierces the Los Angeles skyline. It stands at 601 S. Figueroa Street. But it wasn’t always known as Figueroa at Wilshire.
This building has seen a few name changes. For a time, it was Sanwa Bank Plaza. Some knew it as Mitsui Fudoson Tower. Others called it the United California Bank Building.
Construction of Figueroa at Wilshire finished in 1990. Albert C. Martin & Associates designed it. Hines Interests Limited Partnership developed it. The skyscraper stands 717 feet tall. That makes it the eighth-tallest building in Los Angeles.
Figueroa at Wilshire boasts a postmodern architectural style. Its design includes a square pedestal at street level. This rises through setbacks to an octagonal glass crown. The crown gives it a powerful skyline presence.
Look down. At ground level is a spacious open-air public plaza. It’s open to everyone.
The building’s color scheme is quite striking. Coral-colored granite clads the exterior. Bronze panels add accents. Tinted windows shift from green to gray. This depends on the sky conditions. At night, the glass crown lights up. It looks like a faceted gem.
Figueroa at Wilshire has won several architecture awards. In 1991, it received the Beautification Award. The Los Angeles Business Council presented it. That same year, it won Office Building of the Year. The Building Owners & Managers Association awarded it. The Downtown Breakfast Club gave it the Rose Award. It won Office Building of the Year again in 1995.
Many notable companies have offices here. PricewaterhouseCoopers is a major tenant. So are ACE Group and Cozen O’Connor. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy also have offices here. You’ll find SNR Denton and Morgan Stanley too. Cushman & Wakefield and HCC Surety Group are also tenants. Don’t forget Gannett Fleming.
The building holds an Energy Star Certification. The U.S. Department of Energy issued it. Figueroa at Wilshire is a true icon of downtown Los Angeles. It punctuates the central business district. This building makes effective use of color. It’s more than just a pretty face.