Before We Had Google, There Was Googie Architecture

Few things are more representative of the modern zeitgeist than Google. But there was a time when the same thing was said about Googie architecture.

Between the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Googie was the undisputed “look of tomorrow.”

While Kennedy spoke of Man going to the Moon, it was Googie-style architecture that made the Space Age come to life via cantilevered elements, parabolic boomerang shapes, bold colors and whiz-bang angles.

Famous examples of Googie Architecture are the Theme Building at LAX, the Space Needle in Seattle, Space Mountain at Disney and the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport.

But Googie design elements became directly accessible to the everyday consumer at places like the Original McDonald’s restaurants.

You can see the Googie influence in both the architecture and cars in the parking lot.

The mecca of Googie-style was Southern California, and architects like Eldon Davis and Stanley Metson…