Binoculars Building
The Binoculars Building is the common name of Google's Venice campus in Los Angeles, California. Originally known as the Chiat/Day Building, it was built in 1991 for the advertising agency Chiat/Day (now TBWA\Chiat\Day) and designed by architect Frank Gehry. The building has a prominent public artwork entitled Giant Binoculars (1991), designed by artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, on its street-facing façade, hence the vernacular name.
| Binoculars Building | |
|---|---|
The Binoculars Building seen in May 2007 | |
| Alternative names | Chiat/Day Building |
| General information | |
| Type | Commercial office |
| Architectural style | Postmodern |
| Address | 340 Main Street |
| Town or city | Venice, Los Angeles, California |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 33.99539°N 118.47692°W |
| Current tenants | |
| Completed | 1991 |
| Owner | W. P. Carey & Co. |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Frank Gehry |
The Giant Binoculars sculpture covers both a car and pedestrian entrance; the entrance to the parking garage is between the two telescopes of the binoculars. The 75,000-square-foot (7,000 m2) building was delayed for a few years after hazardous materials were found on the building site, requiring removal. The latest tenant of this building was Google in 2011, which added two neighboring buildings as part of a major expansion to establish a larger employment presence in Los Angeles.