Designed by local architect Robert V. Derrah, Crossroads of the World is one of Los Angeles’ most recognized properties. The complex, located in Hollywood, was completed in 1936 and was conceived as a cosmopolitan shopping center featuring products from around the world. In fact, it was the first outdoor shopping mall in the United States.
Centered around a Streamline Moderne centralized structure, Crossroads of the World was designed as a pedestrian activity center. The complex presents a programmatic nautical theme, paired with architectural styles found worldwide.
Derrah designed the central building, facing Sunset Boulevard, in the shape of a ship, “sailing” down an international street filled with shops.
Watch a video about Crossroads of the World in L.A.
In addition to Crossroads, Derrah was responsible for several significant works in Los Angeles during the 1930s. Many of his buildings were designed in the Streamline Moderne style, including the historic Coca-Cola building (1939). He also designed an addition to the John and Donald Parkinson-designed Southern California Gas Company Complex (1942) and contributed to the Farmers Market in Fairfax (1934).
In the 1940s and 50s, Crossroads transitioned from a shopping center to an office complex, hosting distinguished tenants such as the Screen Actors Guild, Standard Oil, and American Airlines. It faced the threat of demolition in the 1970s but was rescued and revitalized when an investor stepped forward. Subsequently, it attracted a new wave of creative tenants, including music producers, record companies, screenwriters, costume designers, and casting agencies.
This iconic structure has appeared in films such as ‘The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)’, ‘Indecent Proposal’ (1993), ‘Cafe Society’ (2016), or ‘L.A. Confidential’ (1997), among others, as well as TV series like ‘Dragnet’ and ‘Remington Steele’.
