Lorand West

WEST, Lorand The nationally known architect behind some of Los Angeles's most iconic restaurants and landmarks, died naturally and peacefully on July 8th at his home in Burbank, California. He was 81. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in September 1926, Lorand served as First Lieutenant in the Air Force before attending architectural school at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1951. In 1953 Lorand resettled in Los Angeles to work for such prestigious architectural firms as Pierra and Luckman while developing a signature style integrating wood, stone, landscapes, bold shapes, and unencumbered lines, ultimately incorporating these into his own firm, Lorand West AIA, Inc. Though his work spanned projects large and small, he is best known for designing some of Los Angeles's most famous restaurants, including Morton's, The Ivy and Trumps. Perhaps his proudest creation is his own Hollywood Hills home, built with his first wife Pat. It upholds minimalist, open-ended, steel and glass styling with rooftop helipad and a homebuilt helicopter. Other noteworthy projects include Compton Physicians Hospital, Pico-Downey Convalescent Hospital and a series of commissions for the Douglas Aircraft, Northrop, Rockwell International and the U.S. Navy. After years of relentlessly hounding the building department for sensible earthquake related requirements, Sacramento recruited Lorand, their biggest challenger, as one of the conscientious California Building Code Commissioners. A lifelong advocate of building and land preservation, Lorand also served as President for the L.A. Chapter of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI). In January 2008, Lorand received 50-year Achievement Awards from Mayor Villaraigosa, the State Legislature, and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for community betterment and for inspirational mentorship for young architects. Lorand is survived by his second wife, Mary Jeanne Bradbury, his children, Pamela West-Birnbaum, Darryl West and Kerry West, his granddaughter, Claire Birnbaum, his stepchildren, Mary Ann Foster, William Foster and Shirley George, and their children, Laura, Megan, Tim and Paige. Memorial services will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 6300 Forest Lawn Dr., L.A., Calif. at 12 noon, on Tuesday, July 15th (Remembrances may be sent to this address).