Overdrive

During the mid-twentieth century, Los Angeles rapidly evolved into one of the most influential industrial, economic, and creative capitals in the world. With its benign climate, diffuse development patterns, and car-oriented culture, L.A. attracted new residents with the promise of an informal, independent lifestyle. At the same time, the city was emerging as a hotbed of cutting-edge architecture, supported by ambitious patrons, innovations in building materials and technology, and bold investments in infrastructure.

Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990 traces the city’s transformation into an internationally recognized destination with its own design vocabulary, canonized landmarks, and coveted way of life. Organized by the Getty Research Institute and the J. Paul Getty Museum, the exhibition features hundreds of original drawings, photographs, and models drawn from the collection of the Getty and dozens of other institutions. These artifacts offer new perspectives on familiar L.A. landmarks and reveal some fascinating, lesser-known works, while illuminating the critical factors that led to the city’s rise as a design mecca.