The City of Los Angeles - Case Study Example

The of Los Angeles The of Los Angeles Los Angeles is the that had originated bearing the culture of the Latin Americans. However, racial diversity was accompanied with cultural diversity and therefore, there have been minor changes in the culture of Los Angeles but the landscapes and other architectural pieces still hold a piece of history with them. Los Angeles is mainly known for it’s charisma, Hollywood and movies but there is more to the second largest city in the USA. The Los Angeles exposition park houses various museums and parks that reflects on what the city holds which is far more than the fashion industry. The city is also known for its mural arts that often contain glimpses of the various issues the city is going through. There are various landmarks, monuments such as the Olvera street, the Hollywood sign, the Disney concert hall that portray the image of a multicultural and diverse city. This essay would revolve around the city of Los Angeles and examine its culture along with the landmarks located in the city. Over the past few years, the urban theorist, social commentators and cultural critics have dedicated a large amount of their attention to the city of Los Angeles; studying everything about it, it’s culture, it’s landscape and its people. This attention might not just be due to the fact that Los Angeles is one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. It’s because of the buoyant history hat is attached with it along with the remarkably diverse population and geography and the blatant problems of the city which range from environmental pollution to the minor clashes that occur within the city that the city has become a popular centre of interest for many people whether they be analysts or a common tourist. The interest that Los Angeles gets is mostly due to the above mentioned facts but the other things that makes Los Angeles rise up to the most popular cities of the world is the landscape and the multidimensional culture that exists in the city (Scott, 1996). Los Angeles is categorized as the second largest city in the United States in regards with the population. It serves as the epicenter of a metropolitan area consisting of five counties and is considered as an example of what a future metropolitan might look like. The city has all the advantages and the disadvantages that a big urban area might possess. The city is well known for the glamour and charisma due to the presence of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the sunset strip and the popular beaches that have added sparkle to the already glittering image of the city. It is known as the paradise of California and Los Angeles is the main reason for the growth of California. Los Angeles is a multicultural city that has a Hispanic population, Asian community and a multicultural area where people belonging to different backgrounds and cultures live together. The city is also known as a popular destination for tourist, international trade and banking. But below all that glitter is not gold and there also exists a troubled portion of the city that is a subject of constant disturbance and violence which is due to high unemployment rates for the African Americans and the Latin Americans that reside in those areas (City-data.com, n.d.). It houses 841 museums and art galleries and has more museums than any other city in the world. It is the 11th largest nation in the world and holds a diverse population such as the Koreans, Filipinos and a few minority groups. It is also the most populated city in America and is the third most diverse city in the United States. It is because of this cultural diversity that the business in the area continues to develop. Every four out of ten small business in the city are owned by someone belonging to a minority (Lmu.edu, 2012). LA consists of a diverse population that is made up of white people, the African American, Native Americans, Hawaiian and a small percentage of the Pacific Islanders. However, LA has recently seen a surge in the number of Hispanics in the city. Previously, LA’s transport system consisted of cars and electric trains. However, these trains were discontinued and are now replaced with freeways systems. A majority of the people living in Los Angeles travel by means of their own public transport mainly because of the busy lives and the timely schedule that they have to follow (Barber, 2007) The best way to understand a cities culture is by getting an insight about the cultural attractions that the city has to offer. An analysis of the architecture of the city of Los Angeles reflects variations in the population, technology utilized during the construction of those buildings, cultural myths and the cultural diversity in the urban population (Rubin, 1977). Los Angeles Exposition Park is located in the south of downtown and contains a collection of museums, sports amenities and various areas with recreational facilities. The exposition park was inaugurated on 1872 and was previously known as agricultural park and was renamed to Exposition Park in 1910. The park is considered as the city’s important place for cultural and special events. The park houses a California African American Museum which researches, compiles, stores and analyses the history, art and culture of African American. Next is the California Science Centre that displays the scientific achievements of the country and also the city such as the space shuttle Endeavour. The Exposition park rose garden presents a wide variety of roses with four statues which are placed on the four corners of the garden (Discover Los Angeles, 2015). At the time of its completion, the rose garden was a symbol of the beautiful city both in terms of landscape and architecture. The rose garden was built during the Victorian era and hence the red brick walls of the rose garden show the characteristics of the Victorian age architecture (United States Department of the Interior National Park Service). The LA memorial Coliseum is the largest football stadium that has seen many tournaments and events such as the super bowl (Discover Los Angeles, 2015). Football plays an important role in America’s culture, whether it is a game played at home or between colleagues at office, football has been a significant part of America’s culture since a very long time. It symbolizes Americans favorite hobby and sport and even though there has been much cultural stratification in America, Football is the only thing that remains the same (Morris, 2004). It has been added to the list of historic places in the National Register and is now a National Historic Landmark. The LA memorial sports arena serves as a host to many events related to sports and entertainment. The final museum of this park is the Natural history Museum of LA County which houses various valuable collections of history both of natural and cultural origin (Discover Los Angeles, 2015). Landmarks are monuments or places that hold specific importance to the history of that country and often represent the culture of that country. One such place of importance for Mexican American also exists in LA known as the Olvera Street which is considered as the birthplace of LA. Everything from the bridges to the restaurants to what is being served in those restaurants serve as a reminder to the Mexican American of what is now considered a thing of the past. A building like the new Metro Gold Line Station which is situated at the Mariachi Plaza was designed by a local architect and is a pride for the Americans. The canned Menudo is what placed the town of Wilmington on the map of the world. The statue of governor Felipe is placed at the end of the Olvera Street to remember the birth of the city. Los Angeles is also known as the Mural capital of the world (Areyan, 2010). The mural arts of the city are the greatest way of representing the city’s culture such as the Guadalpe Mural encourages living in harmony, honors difference and promotes freedom of speech. This is the basis of the American culture which has been portrayed in a piece of art (Congdon & Hallmark, 2002). Another mural piece called Tikkun Olam- to repair the world shows Jesus Christ on the cross as well as after his rebirth. Other similar religious mural arts are El Tepeyac De Los Angeles, the phoenix of south central (Muralconservancy.org, n.d.). People of today’s era however know very little about the history of Los Angeles and are more lured by the sound of Hollywood that Los Angeles is now popularly known for. The Hollywood sign is another landmark that is of great importance to the city. It represents the upper class of the LA that live a glamorous life in front of the camera and these are the sole purpose for the rush of tourists seen in these areas (Martin, 2013). Another common thing that defines the city is the flock of shoppers who visit the city regularly in search for the latest trends in clothing, bags and accessories since LA is considered hub of fashion designers. Apart from this, the movies themselves keep the entertainment locked in and retain the glamorous side of LA. Thalberg once said that movies would become a part of the lifestyle of the Americans (Vieira, 2010). Hence the glamorous lives being spent in LA is also slowly entering in to the cultural norms of the city. Los Angeles also has its own orchestra which plays at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and this piece of architecture is considered as a symbol of Los Angeles. This building serves as a reminder that the Avenue was formerly called as the Charity Street. It a magnificent piece of architecture that is completely equipped with tree columns that gives the feeling of a little old cottage in London which is covered in vines, steel elements which was made by using state of the art software programs, a public garden that contains an orchestrated fountain which serves as a tribute for the person who was the initial donor for this place and a garden that looks over a beautiful view of various other hallmarks of the city. The stage of the orchestra itself is in the form of vineyard such that the stage surrounds the orchestra to provide a better experience to the audience (Discover Los Angeles, 2014). A city which is synonymous to Hollywood is also known for the movies and cinemas that it contains. The city is filled with many cinemas which offer the latest and classical movies to choose from. The most popular is the Grauman’s Chinese theatre which was founded in 1927 and has now premiered thousands of movies to date. LA also has a silent movie theatre which is one of its kind in the entire country. Open air cinemas can also be seen in LA such as Santa Monica Drive In and Cinespia. The movie industry is also one of the many tourist attractions that the city has to offer. The Largest theme park of the world Universal Studios, Hollywood is also situated in this very city which attracts more than 5 million tourists every year. The Getty Centre contains some of the most well known paintings of the world which are situated in a beautiful building built on a hilltop and was designed by Richard Meier. Museum of Contemporary art (MOCA) is also home to a collection of fine art masterpieces including those of Japanese and Islamic origin. Other landmarks include the Huntington Library which contains unique manuscripts of old times. The residents of Los Angeles also have many city parks where the residents enjoy a beautiful day under the sun. Pershing square is the oldest park in LA. It also contains an ice rink which is in operation during the winter seasons. Aside from this the city is also surrounded by mountain ranges which serve the purpose of hiking for those who are in search of adventure. The tourists can also enjoy the Angeles National forest and admire the beauty the city has to offer (Barber, 2007). The landscapes and the importance given to the natural beauty is also an evident part of the culture and proves that the residents are not only inclined towards the lavish life but are outgoing in nature who might enjoy a stroll in the sun or a picnic at the beach. But this is not the actual case, According to a survey, many of the residents of Los Angeles had not travelled to the under developed locations of the city whereas most of those who had actually visited these locations were those who did not actually belong to the city (Tierney, Dahl & Chavez, 2001) In conclusion, it can be said that Los Angeles is a collection of diverse and continuously evolving culture that will continue to add new elements to it while retaining the old culture within itself. It houses 841 museums and art galleries and it is quite evident that the city is still in the process of cultural growth and development and will continue to progress as the diversity in culture increases. Los Angeles is the city that never sleeps and lives in the continuous hustle and bustle of life. The city is a mixture of all the landscapes and architectural buildings that would take any one’s breath away. It is a dream destination for both nature lovers and fashion lovers alike and never seems to disappoint those who come to witness the beauty of the city. And with the establishment of the modern architectural pieces, the city is progressing on the road towards modernization and to become one of the most frequently visited destination of the world. References Areyan, A. (2010). Mexican Americans in Los Angeles. Arcadia Publishing. Barber, N. (2007). Los Angeles. Los Angeles: CA: Evans Brothers. City-data.com,. Los Angeles: Introduction. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/Los-Angeles-Introduction.html Congdon, K., & Hallmark, K. (2002). Artists from Latin American Cultures: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. Discover Los Angeles,. (2014). Walt Disney Concert Hall: A Los Angeles Cultural Icon. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/blog/walt-disney-concert-hall-los-angeles-cultural-icon Discover Los Angeles,. (2015). The Guide to Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.discoverlosangeles.com/blog/guide-exposition-park-los-angeles Lmu.edu,. (2012). The Los Angeles Region. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.lmu.edu/about/The_Los_Angeles_Region.htm Martin, Hugo. “L.A. Ranks 17th Among U.S. Destinations for Business Meetings”. Los Angeles Times, September 8, 2013. Web. April 26, 2015. . Morris, P. (2004). Football in the USA: American Culture and the World’s Game. Muralconservancy.org,. Tikkun Olam - To Repair the World | Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://muralconservancy.org/murals/tikkun-olam-repair-world Rubin, B. (1977). A CHRONOLOGY OF ARCHITECTURE IN LOS ANGELES∗. Annals Of The Association Of American Geographers, 67(4), 521-537. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1977.tb01159.x Scott, A. (1996). The city Los Angeles and urban theory at the end of the twentieth century. Berkeley: University of California Press. Tierney, P., Dahl, R., & Chavez, D. (2001). Cultural diversity in use of undeveloped natural areas by Los Angeles county residents. Tourism Management, 22(3), 271-277. doi:10.1016/s0261-5177(00)00058-3 Vieira, Mark A. Irving Thalberg: Boy Wonder to Producer Prince. USA: University of California Press, 2010. Print Webcache.googleusercontent.com,. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service tl 3. Classification Ownership of Property: public-State_________. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XYcLvClWtjgJ:pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/91000285.pdf+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk Read More