16.7: California’s Buzz and Woody Eras
The Buzz and Woody era were a period of architectural experimentation in California during the 1950s and 1960s. It was characterized using bold, geometric shapes and bright colors. Although it is not clear where the architectural term "Buzz and Woody" was coined, perhaps in the mid 1990s post Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, but the names date back to the early 1950s when Walt and Roy Disney would partner with architect Buzz Price and manager Cornelius Wood (Woody) to help develop their dream of Disneyland. Nonetheless, the influence of television, movie theaters and even theme parks helped change the trajectory of architecture and car culture for the California, and the world.
Woody Arcitecture - The Suburban Cowtown
The Woody style was a direct result from the classic B Western films and popular television shows that depicted the American West. These shows often depicted idealized images of the American West, with rustic log cabins, grand ranches, and small towns. This idealized imagery captured the imagination of Americans and helped to popularize certain architectural styles such as ranches, log cabins and the mission style.
Although we see this design in suburban developments, (especially in Northridge, California) this themeing was key in the development of key restaurant and fast food developments in the 1950s-60s. An excellent example of this can still be seen today is the iconic Clearmans Northwoods Inn chain.
Clearman's Northwoods Inn is a chain of restaurants in California. The first Clearman's Northwoods Inn was opened in 1966 in San Gabriel, California. The restaurant was known for its rustic log cabin design and its menu of American comfort food. The restaurant was an immediate success and soon several more locations were opened throughout California. With its classic logcabin stlye, snow on the roof and peanut shells on the foor, Clearmans was an experience like no other, especially for those living in sunny southern California. Some of the earlier restaurant even had a small western villages attached that included a blacksmith and themed shopping.
Buzz Arcitecture - The Aerospace City
With the inspiration from space themed television shows of the 1950’s and 60’s, such as The Twilight Zone, Lost in Space and Star Trek, as well as the ever looming Cold War and Space Race, the space age was no longer a dream—but now a tangible and visible future. This inspiration was seen in the design of autombiles such as, The LeSabra (1951), Manta Ray (1953), and the DiDia 150 (1960). Aside the road, we also began seeing this futuristic design in our arcitecture.
Architects were inspired by the sleek, streamlined look of spacecraft and incorporated these elements into their buildings. For example, the Theme Building at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a prime example of futuristic architecture inspired by the space race (and one of the first). It features a soaring, cylindrical shape and a glass-enclosed observation deck that offers panoramic views of the airport and the surrounding area. Influenced by "Populuxe" architecture, it is an example of the Mid-century modern design movement later to become known as "Googie". The primary architect for the Theme Building in LAX was Paul R. Williams, who was the first African-American certified architect west of the Mississippi River.
Another way that highlighted the space inspired architecture in California was through the use of new materials. Architects began to experiment with new materials, such as fiberglass, aluminum and plastic, that were inspired by the materials used in spacecraft. These materials were often lightweight and strong and resilient to weathering, and they could be used to create new and innovative architectural designs. For example, the Spaceship Earth geodesic dome at Epcot in Walt Disney World is made from alucobond, an aluminum composite material (ACM) made of two thin sheets of aluminum bonded to a core of polyethylene.