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Los Angeles is not as tall. Chicago has more classic and modern architecture but Chicago is more washed out and drab than L.A. Chicago has some very ugly architecture mixed in with its pretty ones. L.A. wishes that it had either.
Los Angeles is famous for it's residential architecture whereas Chicago is known for commercial architecture.
Not necessarilly. Chicago is known for some famous residential architecture, especially in the near-suburbs, some of the first "suburbs" in the country. Frank Lloyd Wright designed a number of of elegant homes in Chicago.
Beyond that, the cities are quite different architecturally. Chicago was the original home of the skyscraper, and many classic skyscrapers still exist in Chicago today. The Chicago style is more serious and straight-forward, where LA is much more mediterranean-influenced and light.
Not just Mediterranean. Lots of mid-century modern: Think of the stereotypical Palm Springs residence. Neutra, Schindler, there are several Frank Lloyd Wright residences in Los Angeles too (Ennis House, Hollyhock House among them), the Sheats Goldstein residence is pretty well recognized from movies too.
There's a whole range of styles that have collected in L.A. Remember, before Hollywood it was a town that was settled by wealthy midwesterners who brought their sensibilities with them. Many, many TV shows and movies have been and are filmed in Southern California locations that reflect various architectural customs. You might be surprised at a few of them. Googie was also big. The LAX building is the biggest representative of it.
I agree with Bunjee's description. LA has skyscrapers, but it's definitely not a skyscraper kind of city.
I think in general LA has a greater diversity of architectural styles than does Chicago.
In LA (or LA metro) Pasadena and surroundings in particular have a very Midwestern feel to them; not surprising, really, since as noted many of the people moving to those areas were from the Midwest (including many from Chicago; the wealthiest often spent winters in Pasadena, summers in Chicago). Our neighborhood was popular as a filming location because it was so easy to pass for other parts of the US, including Chicago. As long as you hid the palm trees, of course!
I agree, there are many midwestern influences in L.A. However, the mediterranean and/or spanish influences cannot be discounted. If you don't live in SoCal, you immediately notice this influence when you travel to the area. It stands out, big-time.
The modern mid-century stuff is absolutely fascinating. A creation of car-culture trying to combine with an urban setting. Indeed, it was a model for suburban development around the country in the 50's & 60's. But, yes, L.A. invented it.
Well, I grew up in the boring Eisenhower era tracts, of which there are many in SoCal. But there was still a lot of farmland then actually, and lonestanding houses were of that farmhouse style. Those were the "haunted houses" . Modestly big, none grand and sprawling though.
Unfortunately, when downtown L.A. was developed decades ago they razed an amazing stock of Victorian homes. There are still a lot left, like in Angelino Heights and in clusters here and there all over the basin and way out into OC and Riverside counties, each with its own story of wealth, migration and status. Lots of Craftsman style too, of course.
So it's really a hodgepodge. By comparison to the Midwest, I dunno, but I love the whole mechanical engineering of the Chicago, the very idea of it, so massive.
Not necessarily. According to some experts on Chicago architecture from Northwestern, New York built the first skeletal frame office building with an elevator 15 years before Chicago.
How do Los Angeles and Chicago differ architecture-wise?
Substantially...
Last edited by justintheneighborhood; 01-15-2010 at 10:47 AM..
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. Modestly big, none grand and sprawling though. 
