Originally the building was a camera shop – The Darkroom – at 5370 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles in the Miracle Mile. While the facade is now boarded up, it had previously been a series of restaurants.
The building is landmarked by the Los Angeles Conservancy, with its neon sign, now in the Museum of Neon Art.
One reason for discovering the building was that the photo lab The Icon, at 5450 Wilshire Blvd, is one block away on the same side of the street. Arriving by transit on La Brea Ave, further east, meant walking on that side on the way to the lab to avoid subway construction on the other side.
Designed in the 1920s and 1930s by Edward J. Borgmeyer and Marcus P. Miller in the programmatic style (also known as Novelty Architecture). The facade resembles the front of a rangefinder camera with 1/25s. 1/30s, T and B shutter settings. According to this Wierd California page
The front facade of the store featured a nine foot tall replica of a 35 millimeter Argus camera with a shutter speed indicator, a winder, and dual rangefinders. It was made out of black Vitrolite glass and the center window/porthole (the camera lens) even had a small projector that was said to play newsreels for passing pedestrians.
Several theme parks throughout the world have made replicas of the store. Disney theme parks in both Florida and Paris each have a version of The Darkroom. Also Universal Studios in Orlando houses a third replica. All three are photography related in some way.
Los Angeles Conservancy lists a number of other landmarked programmatic architecture buildings here, including Tail o’ the Pup, after being moved twice, each time closer to my West Hollywood apartment.
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Hannah Gimblett on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
Jeffery Luhn on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
Very cool facade!! Have you been to the giant camera obsura at Cliff House park in San Francisco? A lens about the size of the one in your photo is on a turret that can revolve 360 degrees and project high resolution pictures inside the camera walls. The camera can accommodate 10 people!! Super sharp images!
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
Geoff Chaplin on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
Gary Smith on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
Interesting find Marco, thanks for your post.
Bradley Newman on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 07/05/2025
I'm a fellow Angelino, and love to find spots like this. "Historic" in Los Angeles often means something twenty years old or older. I'm always pleased when I can connect to something which has survived for more than a minute here. Thanks for sharing!
Louis A. Sousa on Camera Facade on Miracle Mile, Los Angeles
Comment posted: 08/05/2025