The Triangular Building

For the month of May I've been participating with a few of my friends in an online photo prompt exercise called FMS Photo A Day. Every day a new word is listed and we are supposed to post a photograph depicting the specific word. I've been trying to relate my photos to the City of Los Angeles. To see the daily photos on Facebook and Instagram, just search these hashtags: #FMSphotoaday #photoadaymay.

Today's prompt is TRIANGLE. Combining the word and the City of Los Angeles has been challenging. I have lived here all my life and have always been particularly interested in the 
architecture of this City. At first I thought about traffic triangles. 

Pandora's Box Riots, 1966. Uncredited Snapshot

The most famous traffic triangle in my memory was the one where Pandora's Box Nightclub in Hollywood was located, Sunset and Crescent Heights. This was where the nearby residents complained about all of those "hippie" teenagers hanging around and a curfew was enforced by the LAPD.  Rioting ensued. News cameras rolled. Movies were made. A famous triangle in Los Angeles. 

Then, I began to think more architecturally. I've seen a number of A-Frame buildings in town, most famously The International House of Pancakes. A few of these still exist as pancake houses. Many of the original buildings have morphed into other restaurants, including Roy Choi's A-Frame Restaurant in Mar Vista.

A-Frame Restaurant, Mar Vista. Formerly IHOP

There are also a number of A-Frame shaped churches in Los Angeles. This beautiful building jumped into my mind! There's a sweet A-Framed church right across the street from one of my favorite taco stands, Chabelita's on South Western Avenue. Yes! I looked up the address of the church and found out that it is called the Triangular Church of Religious Science. Perfect! A Triangular shaped building along with a triangle name!

The Triangular Church of Religious Science. 1938 South Western Avenue, L.A.

Naturally, I was interested in finding out who the architect was of this beautiful mid-20th century building. The only reference I could find was on the Berkeley Square Neighborhood website. Apparently the building was designed by architect Albert Butts in 1960. I could not find any other substantial information about the architect online. I must dig deeper! I absolutely LOVE the design of this building! The Triangular Church moved here from their former home at 52nd St. and Wadsworth in South Los Angeles. There is more history about the Church, it's origins and current membership here. 

I thought about the triangle shape and realized it may represent the Holy Trinity. I'm sure there are other interpretations.

Logo for the Triangular Church of Religious Science

I like this theme.  I'm going to look for more triangle-shaped buildings in Los Angeles this weekend!