L.A. SPEAK

From the land of the Capitol Records tower and Tail o’ the Pup, the argot of area architects: architorture: n. slang for architecture. Sometimes refers to fad architecture or bad architecture. “The Renaissance-style mini-mall in Venice is pure architorture .” edifice complex: n . powerful desire to build really big structures. facadeomy: n . destroying the special qualities of a building during a remodel. Pronounced “fa- sod- o-mee.” “They committed facadeomy on that Victorian on Carroll Avenue.” facadism: n . designing something merely for the facade. Googie: n . a style characterized by wild angles, lots of plate glass and a swooping roof. From Googie’s, a now-defunct coffee shop on Crescent Heights and Sunset boulevards designed by John Lautner. massage the plan: v . cut back and simplify a design. “This is way over the client’s price range. It’s time to massage the plan. “ on charrette: v . working one’s brains out. At the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris in the 18th and 19th centuries, students rushed to get their final projects on the school’s passing cart, or charrette. “Sorry, I didn’t get back to you. I was on charrette. “ po-mo: n . short for postmodern. “That mini-mall is a po-mo disaster.” puff ‘n’ powder: n. a purely cosmetic rehabilitation. “I thought it was a complete design job but all they wanted was a puff ‘n’ powder. “ ranchburger: n . a one-story generic Southern California tract house. “She’s remodeling another ranchburger. “