Building L.A.: Architect John Parkinson’s Influence On Los Angeles’ Landscape

You may not recognize John Parkinson’s name, but you’ll surely recognize his handy work.

The English-born architect, who designed L.A.’s first fireproof, steel-framed structure (the Homer Laughlin Building) and its first “skyscraper” (Braly Block), is also responsible for some of our city’s most beloved and distinctive edifices—think Union Station, USC’s Coliseum, Los Angeles City Hall, and Bullock’s Wilshire.

In his new book Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect Of Los Angeles (Angel City Press, July 1), author Stephen Gee biographizes Parkinson through both verbal and visual portraiture. Below, find a slide show of some of Parkinson’s most celebrated and enduring construction, from watercolor renderings to finished products.