Bullock's Pasadena, commercieel gebouw in Californië, Verenigde Staten van Amerika
Bullock's Pasadena is a department store in Pasadena, California, built in 1947 in Streamline Moderne style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building spreads across a large area with gentle horizontal lines, rounded edges, and smooth surfaces of Pennsylvania fieldstone, while surrounding landscape design makes it appear like an island rising from garden space.
The building was designed in 1947 by architects Walter Wurdeman and Welton Becket, shortly after World War II, when Pasadena served as a model for suburban living in Southern California. In 1996, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and a preservation campaign saved it from redevelopment threats in the late 1990s, keeping it as the centerpiece of The Shops on Lake Avenue.
The name Bullock's comes from California retail traditions, and the building was designed to feel like a private home or exclusive club rather than a typical store. This philosophy still shapes how visitors experience the carefully planned spaces and details throughout.
The building sits on a raised terrace above Lake Avenue, making it easy to spot from the street and car, with parking arranged around the original structure. Today, entry is through the Macy's store, which preserves the original 1947 architecture, while visitors can also explore the surrounding shops.
The original building's roof was designed as a ship's deck, complete with portholes and ship-like fixtures that created a nautical theme for children, along with a dedicated Toy Department featuring a children's hair salon inside. These playful design touches reveal how imaginative the architects were and how they treated shopping as an experience for the whole family.
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