Beneath the urban sprawl lies a story of transformation and artistic rebirth. Today, we are standing in front of the Houser Building. It is not just any building. It is part of the Globe Mills complex.
The Globe Mills complex dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a collection of buildings. These buildings were ingeniously adapted by Creative Space Los Angeles. Annabelle Selldorf of Selldorf Architects consulted on the project.
Originally, the complex housed the Globe Grain & Milling Company. Its location was strategic. It was near Union Station and Los Angeles’s historic Red Car mass transit system. This proximity boosted its success.
The Globe Grain & Milling Company became a source of local and industrial pride. This pride is symbolized in its architecture. Look for the wheat sheaves. Also spot the steamship steering wheel. These motifs are still visible. They represent California’s economic shift. The shift moved from the Gold Rush to robust farming.
The complex was Globe Mills’ headquarters for nearly 40 years. It includes an industrious mill tower. It also includes a neoclassical bank building. This building faces East 3rd Street.
In 1941, the Pillsbury Flour Mills Company acquired the property. Pillsbury operated here until the mid-1960s. Later, businesses began to decentralize. Industry moved away from downtown Los Angeles in the 1970s. The district’s abandoned factories attracted artists and musicians. These creative pioneers reappropriated the area. They ignited its transformation into a hub for creative industries.
Thanks to these artists and the local community, the Downtown Arts District flourished. Now, it is home to galleries and architecture firms. Design firms and production studios thrive here. Residential architecture adds to the mix. The Southern California Institute of Architecture is also a key part of the district.
The Arts District’s evolution ensured harmony between historic buildings and new construction. The Houser Building stands as a testament to this. Now part of Hauser & Wirth, the Globe Mills complex has been preserved. It has been adapted for a new life. This new life occurs during an exciting moment in downtown Los Angeles history.
Hauser & Wirth is an international art gallery. It has a history of restoring historic places globally. In Los Angeles, they adapted the former Globe Grain & Milling Company. This adaptation resulted in a multidisciplinary arts center.
The project took over two years. The team rehabilitated and upgraded the buildings. They also preserved the buildings’ character and context. A street art historian identified the graffiti murals. Many of these murals were restored.
A massive new mural now graces the complex. Mary Heilmann created “Pacific Ocean.” It covers the east wall of the breezeway. Los Angeles painter Kim West repainted and extended her mural. This mural was originally created in 2011. It was on part of the east exterior.
The center opened in 2016. It welcomed 6000 visitors in its first four hours. The Los Angeles gallery is free and open to the public. A dynamic schedule of events draws diverse audiences.
The gallery complements its exhibition program. It features the first ARTBOOK store in Los Angeles. There is also a gallery space for Hauser & Wirth Publishers’ Book & Printed Matter Lab. Manuela restaurant is also on site. It features seasonal fare. Locally sourced produce highlights foods of the American South.
The space is designed to foster community. It includes a public garden. Murals engage the architecture of the complex. A dramatic open-air courtyard features sculpture. This courtyard provides space for contemplation and gathering. Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles exemplifies the potential of reusing historic places. It uses these places in creative ways.