Jack Allen Charney (born 7 October 1919 - 2002) was an American mid-century architect who designed a number of significant buildings in various cities across California, including Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Francisco and Long Beach. His designs include the 32-story Sierra Towers in West Hollywood, from 1965.
Life and career
Charney was born in San Francisco, California. While working as a licensed general contractor, Charney attended the Art Center School where he studied architecture under Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra.
By February 1955 Charney had won the construction contract for the second rebuilding of landmark Hollywood restaurant Perino's, at 4101 Wilshire. The architect was Charney's sometime collaborator Alfred March. Charney later opened his own solo firm, Jack Allen Charney AIA Associates, based in Los Angeles, California,
Like his mentor Neutra, in residential designs Charney was known for an open-concept plan, with indoor/outdoor living areas, sliding glass door walls and light-filled rooms. It was Charney's philosophy "to take maximum advantage of views of city, mountains and ocean".
In his public buildings, Charney was known for impressive, mid-century architectural conceptual designs for apartment complexes, commercial and office buildings, and restaurants across southern California—in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Diego and Long Beach. His largest single project was the Sierra Towers at 9255 Doheny Road in West Hollywood, which remains a prestigious address, the tallest building for miles, condo units held by an array of celebrities, and an appearances in Grand Theft Auto Online as Eclipse Towers.
Charney died in Los Angeles County in 2002, at 82.
Buildings
- San Francisco Redevelopment Authority Diamond Heights Housing Project #3, Diamond Heights, San Francisco, with landscape architects Eckbo, Dean & Williams, 1963
- Sierra Towers, West Hollywood, California, 1965
- Pacifica Hospital, Los Angeles
- 9445 Duxbury Road, Beverlywood, Los Angeles (Demolished 2021)
References
- Kim James Charney, MD, son
- "Architecture and Design Collection, Art, Design and Architecture Museum". OAC: Online Archive of California. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- "Perino's Reopens in New $300,000 Home". Los Angeles Times. 15 February 1955. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- "About Sierra Towers West Hollywood, CA". Sierra Towers Living. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
Charney discussed his vision of Sierra Towers with the Los Angeles Times in 1965. He said the design of the building was intended 'to take maximum advantage of views of city, mountains and ocean.' That was the case then and remains so today.
- Miller, Daniel (28 Oct 2011). "Sierra Towers: The Secrets of L.A.'s Strange, Sexy Celebrity Condo Building". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 Jan 2019.
- "Jack Allen Charney". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- "San Francisco Redevelopment Authority Diamond Heights Housing Project #3, San Francisco, CA (1962)". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- Glick Kudler, Adrian (5 Sep 2012). "Glam Modern By Sierra Towers Architect in Trousdale Estates". LA Curbed. Retrieved 20 Jan 2019.