American Architectural and Landscape Field Trip Program
A tour through the buildings and architecture of LA Chinatown
Brief History
DIRECTIONS: Scroll through to learn more. Click on the images to expand and look closer. For a more advanced version of the summary below, click on the red button that says "Advanced Text Version."
Map of the different LA Chinatown Neighborhoods
Los Angeles Chinatown is five different neighborhoods. New Chinatown opened in 1938 after the Old Chinatown neighborhood was torn down. A group of Chinese created the Los Angeles Chinatown Project Association. It was led by Peter Soo Hoo and YC Hong. There was another neighborhood being developed called China City, which was built to be a tourist attraction. New Chinatown was a Chinatown by and for Chinese people.
Chinatown is a multicultural area, and the architecture mixes Chinese and western American styles. This community has changed a lot over the years and continues to change now.
Pictures of LA Chinatown in the past (Scroll through to look at the images. Click on each image to enlarge)
Vocabulary
- Base: the lower part of a building that acts as a support
- Column/Post: an upright pillar that supports the weight from an above structure
- Lintel: a beam that is put above doors or windows to support weight from an above structure
- Ridge : the highest point of a roof where two opposing roof areas meet
- Overhang Eaves: the edge of a roof that goes over the side of the building, typically for weather protection
DIRECTIONS: Match the five correct vocabulary word (seen below) to the architectural feature
Chinatown Architecture
DIRECTIONS: Click the arrow symbol on the right or right side to discover more about the unique architecture in Los Angeles Chinatown.
Learning Activity
ACTIVITY: Compare & Contrast
Look at the photos of Central Plaza Chinatown from 1942 vs the same buildings in 2022 at different angles. (Drag the middle arrows left and right) How has the building changed and stayed the same over time?
ACTIVITY: Design Your Own Flyer
Flyer created circa. 1938
On the left is one of the flyers for New Chinatown. There is a detachable address card attached to the flyer as well so that business owners can spread the word to their customers.
Look at the image on the left, which includes a picture of the Plaza and a small paragraph inviting people to New Chinatown. If you were to design your own flyer, what would you include to get people to come to New Chinatown?
ASPECTS TO REMEMBER WHEN DESIGNING:
- Who is the audience for the flyer?
- What kind of pictures or visuals will be on the flyer?
- How can you make the flyer appealing to people?
LA Chinatown Interactive Map
DIRECTIONS: Click on each picture to learn more about the history and architecture of each location. Look at aspects of Chinatown architecture in these buildings. What architectural features can you see at these historic spots?
* Family Associations : Associations are organizations of people with shared surnames or who come from similar regions. They were created to help Chinese immigrants live and survive and are very important in Chinatown.
Acknowledgements
Project Grant: Society of Architectural Historians
Project Donor: Marjorie Chun-Hoon (in memory of William Chun-Hoon)
Story Map Creator: Riona Tsai
Walking Tour Committee: Eugene Moy, Susan Dickson, Linda Bentz, Jillian Surdzial, Riona Tsai
