Designer Also Shaped Landmarks From the Beverly Center to the California State Capitol
Louis Naidorf, the architect who designed Hollywood’s Capitol Records Building and the Santa Monica Civic and helped shape landmarks across California and beyond, has died at 96. His death was confirmed on Wednesday by longtime friend Mike Harkins, as the Los Angeles Times reported.
Naidorf, who served as a Save the Civic advisor, remained active in preservation and restoration efforts well into his later years, according to a press release from the organization.
Naidorf’s interest in architecture began in childhood as a remarkable young man. While others might be thinking of more pedestrian subjects, Naidorf was already on track to become an architect even before receiving his high school diploma.
After graduating from UC Berkley, Naidorf joined Welton Becket and Associates, the architectural firm for which he would create his designs. He was given the assignment to create a super secret building in Hollywood, now known as the Capitol Records building. This iconic landmark is one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated structures, having been featured in numerous films, and is certainly one of the most famous and instantly recognizable buildings in the world.
Even creating one such building would be a crowning achievement for most architects, but Naidorf’s other projects included the Beverly Center, the Beverly Hilton, the Santa Monica Civic, and the former sports stadium, the Los Angeles Sports Area, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Naidorf officially retired at 87 but continued to hold the state’s oldest active architecture license, renewing it annually, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. He is survived by his daughter, four stepchildren, 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
