Finding Aid for the Papers documenting the Richfield Building (Los Angeles, Calif.), 1928-1967 0000106
Finding aid prepared by Chris Marino
The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered
through the Council on Library and Information Resources “Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives” Project.
Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design & Architecture Museum
Arts Building Room 1434
University of California
Santa Barbara, California, 93106-7130
805-893-2724
adc@museum.ucsb.edu
Title: Papers documenting the Richfield Building (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Identifier/Call Number: 0000106
Contributing Institution:
Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design & Architecture Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
8.0 Linear feet
(2 record storage boxes and 1 flat file drawer (1 flat file folder)
Date (inclusive): 1928-1967
Location note: Boxes 1-2/ADC - regular 1 Flat File Drawer/ADC -flat files 3-D object/Devereux - Haig Patigian designed Caryatid Figure from
building (2000.5) terra cotta metal base ( 57 x 35 x 29 in). Other Caryatid figures part of UCSB public sculpture program.
creator:
Atlantic Richfield Oil Company.
Partially processed collection, open for use by qualified researchers.
Papers documenting the Richfield Building (Los Angeles, Calif.), Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture
Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.
The Richfield Building was designed by Morgan, Walls and Clements. Construction which was overseen and conducted by P.J. Walker
Company builders was started in 1928 and completed in 1930. Located on the corner of 6th Street and Flower in downtown Los
Angeles, the building was the headquarters of the Atlantic Richfield Oil Company. The structure had fifteen floors, three
basements in 152,000 square feet. The figures decorating the 13th floor level parapet as well as the four figures over the
entrance were done by the American sculptor Haig Patigian. The Richfield Building was demolished in 1968. The ARCO Plaza complex
now stands in its place.
The papers documenting the Richfield Building span 8 linear feet and date from 1928 to 1967. This collection documents the
Richfield Building on the corner of 6th and Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles primarily through photographs, correspondence
concerning the maintenance and construction of the structure, newspaper clippings, printed ephemera and copies of blueprints.
Photographs in the collection document the construction of the building, the completed structure, decorative elements on the
façade of the building, the interior, as well the ground floor window displays.
Terracotta caryatid figures designed by Haig Patigan, from the Richfield Building also donated to the Museum. Several figures
are part of the UCSB public sculpture program. One figure remains in the Museum as part of Architecture and Design Collection.
Related Archival Materials note
Historic American Building Survey records, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C..
Caryatid terracotta figures designed by Haig Patigan from the Richfield building, Architecture and Design Collection. Art,
Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara and part of public sculpture program UCSB campus.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Atlantic Richfield Oil Company.
Patigian, Haigh, 1976-1950
Architecture -- California
Correspondence
Photographic prints