Capitol Records Building

When it was completed in 1956, the Capitol Records Building was believed to be the world’s first circular office building. Welton Becket and Associates' revolutionary design not only resulted in a practical and economic solution to the client’s stringent requirements, but in a distinctive building which is recognized as a Los Angeles landmark to this day.

Contrary to popular myth, the building’s round shape is not an allusion to a stack of records. Rather, it was a creative solution to meeting the client’s needs for efficient office space, with a circular plan resulting in the highest percentage of usable space to gross area. Considerable energy savings were derived from the circular configuration – in a round building, 20% less surface area is exposed to the outside, resulting in heating and cooling savings. In addition, sun shading offered another opportunity for energy efficiency. Porcelain metal shades extend from the ceiling level of each of the 12 floors, providing not only effective heat control but also a distinctive design feature which uses the interplay of light and shadow to animate the structure.