Growing up, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers was one of my favorite TV shows. I loved all the action, good versus evil, the megazords, special powers, weapons, everything. While most of its filming took place on soundstages and nondescript natural areas, there was an exterior establishing shot of the Command Center, the Power Rangers' home base. It was a circular building with a wind scoop-like collar, sitting on an outcropping of rocks.
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| Screenshot of the Command Center from the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers TV series |
I later learned that these were both real (and separate) places, the Vasquez Rocks and House of the Book. They have both been used extensively in many sci-fi tv shows and movies for their other-worldly looks and being located within the Los Angeles 30-mile Studio Zone.
As you may have already guessed, I'm more into architecture than geology, so I really wanted to check out House of the Book. A couple years ago, I learned it was on the gated Brandeis-Bardin Campus of American Jewish University, so that deterred me at first. Much later and more recently, I was able to get permission onto the campus to visit the building (Thank you Dan!).
The Brandeis-Bardin Campus used to be the land of the Brandeis Institute (later renamed the Brandeis-Bardin Institute). Founded by Dr. Shlomo Bardin with US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, it started in 1941 as an institute to help young Jewish American individuals discover/reconnect with their Jewish culture and tradition. Bardin didn't want the Jewish diaspora in America to completely assimilate into the American way of life, saying that both cultures could coexist in a person. The institute bought its California land in 1947. Dr. Bardin chose it due to its privacy/safety, as well as its resemblance to Israel. It's now one of the largest land parcels outside of Israel owned by a Jewish institution!
Dr. Bardin's teaching method was a mix of the American summer camp, kibbutz style living, and the Danish folk high school model. Music, dance, labor, and lectures were all part of the curriculum for the college-aged program. The institute was nonsectarian, so Judaism was taught broadly, presenting guests speakers from varying sects. The program became wildly successful and created a huge following, so much so that Bardin expanded the programming to include children/teenager and adult versions: Camp Alonim and House of the Book, respectfully.
The drive up to the campus was unexpected. One moment, I was in the urban sprawl of the greater Los Angeles area, passing through an industrial park. The next, I was turning onto a pepper tree-lined lane at the base of the Santa Susana Mountains, the range that defines the southern edge of the Simi Valley. Passing onto the campus, I felt like I had been transported miles away from the freeways and highways right behind me. It felt like the quintessential summer camp ranch. Trails, trees, fields, dirt, and mountains all around. The buildings on the campus were an eclectic mix from different eras. There were wooden cabin buildings, simple early 20th century ranch structures, some 1970/80's structures, and then some modern conference center villas. It just has this entirely different feel, like it was timeless yet disconnected from most modern life.
As I passed beyond the collection of buildings, taking the road towards House of the Book, the ground started to rise. Soon, I was above the tree line and could see a wide, open view of the little off-shoot valley. It seemed like this spot was a bucolic little oasis, with no human touch except for the road and the clusters of buildings. As I continued upwards along the side of the mountain, I passed cows laying in a field and a couple people out hiking/walking. The road had a stretch where it was very steep. Definitely made me nervous, hoping my rental car had enough power to muster through it. Luckily, it did.
The road turned, and suddenly House of the Book came into view along the next ridge.
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| The backside of House of the Book |
A few more turns, and I ended up in the parking lot. House of the Book loomed in front of me. I had finally made it.
In the 1950's, House of the Book [the adult programming/membership at the Institute] needed a space for its events. Thus the idea for House of the Book [the building] was born. After many years of fundraising, ground was broken in 1970. Construction was a bit difficult, as Dr. Bardin had set the site of the building on top of one of the campus' mountains, separate from the rest of the Institute's buildings. The road (actually steeper than it is today) made getting some equipment to the site difficult. The air conditioning units had to be air dropped onto the site via helicopters. Despite its obstacles, the $1.25 million building overcame them and opened up in 1973.
House of the Book was designed by Sidney Eisenshtat, a well-known architect who designed many Jewish synagogues in the L.A. area. The building had multiple purposes: a Bet Midrash (House of Study), a Bet Tfilah (House of Prayer), and a Bet Knesset (House of Assembly). Along with plenty of space for folk dances, concerts, lectures, classrooms, and Shabbat celebrations, it also had shelves of books available to study Jewish texts. The main hall had movable walls, which could open the space for large gatherings or section it off to make smaller breakout rooms. Windows and decor were kept at a minimum, as both Bardin and Eisenshtat thought that these would distract from the building's purpose. House of the Book proved to be a wonderful addition to the Institute, and continues to serve the Jewish community there well.
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| Part of the front sign |
As I walked up the path from the parking lot, vegetation blocked the front of the building. House of the Book is angled so you never see the front until you finally walk up its curving path. Its placement on the mountain, being away from everything else on campus, it all comes across as very purposeful. You have to make a conscious effort to visit the hall. I really like it. It's all building up to the final reveal of the front.
And what a reveal!
Here is was, finally, right in front of me! What a building.
It struck me that it was Brutalist. From Power Rangers (a show filmed in standard definition), it always looked like it was made of sandstone or marble. Not so! It's concrete, through and through. Its circularity and exterior details take away the stereotypical "Brutalist" feeling. It is more almost sculptural.
I have no idea what the exterior pattern is supposed to represent. I read a comment somewhere on the internet [that I can't find now] saying it wasn't a map, but didn't have any details other than that. Most of the design is indented into the wall, but there is one rectangle that protrudes from the facade. Why? Was there a mistake, or something that needed to be covered over?
"Isn't exactly the mall, is it?" Pink Ranger Kimberly joked when the gang first beamed into the Command Center in Power Rangers. It wasn't exactly the mall inside House of the Book either. Instead of neon and blinking control buttons (which I knew wouldn't be there), I was met with a 2-3 story tall hall. With glazed brick floor tiles, earth tones, and wooden movable walls, it very much reflects the 70's era which it comes from. The curved walls continue in here with the overall shape of the room and the four circular breakout rooms jutting into the hall. The space is very empty and blank, but it was meant to be that way. It was also between events, with a maintenance man working on in one of the breakout rooms.
Here's a look around the hall:
The cylindrical tower that sticks out from the middle of the front facade, the one the Power Rangers would use to beam into the building, turned out to be a skylight above a raised platform.
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| The skylight in the cylindrical tower |
It's a funny building. From the outside, it looks like there could be a lot inside. Inside, there are essentially three areas, the lobby/bathrooms, the hall, and then its circular breakout rooms. And this is all on one floor! No stairs or elevators anywhere!
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| The Lobby |
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| Inside the smallest circular room |
The circular rooms feature books and some stained glass artwork (they were not illuminated when I was visiting, so I don't have pictures to share). It felt a little odd for there to be no chairs or tables by the books. I guess you could read the books on the chairs in the lobby? But again, the building wasn't in use that day, it's possible they have furniture when there's camp in session.
After I explored the inside, I went outside again to check out a path I saw that skirted around the side of the building.
It turned out to lead to two circular plazas. The more spaces for gathering and dancing, the better! It was a lovely little hidden surprise.
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| A bench near the plazas |
After I finished walking around, I just sat in front of House of the Book for a while. I noticed all the curves. I noticed one straight unadorned wall, all the lines, how the building seems symmetrical but actually isn't. I noticed how the sun hit the building, how the shadows had changed even in the time since I had first arrived. I just sat marveling at it, at my luck for finally getting to be there. Thinking about how I was glad I didn't try to enter the building the way the Power Rangers did and crash into the skylight in the tower. Thinking about how this was my present moment, but soon it would be my past, a memory of a moment.
Eventually the present moment had to end. I said farewell to House of the Book, to the Brandeis-Bardin campus at American Jewish University, and drove away onto the highways and byways.
I'm so glad I got to visit. This really was a bucket list item for me. I wasn't sure if this little trip would make me feel anything. It was in one shot from a tv show from my childhood. But who am I kidding? I write a blog about architectural history, of course I felt something! House of the Book is a joy. I can't wait to see its next Hollywood appearance.
SOURCES:
The Brandeis-Bardin Institute: A Living History by Jenna Leventhal (2012)
The Brandeis-Bardin Institute: A Living History by Jenna Leventhal (2012)
Catania, Sara "Divine Horseman Holds Reins at Jewish Institute" Los Angeles Times, 23 July 1994.
N.A. "Brandeis Center Plans Expansion: House of the Book Challenge Accepted" New York Times, 12 August 1973.
RECENT HOUSE OF THE BOOK MEDIA APPEARANCES:
Netflix's Beef (Season 1)
Kendrick Lamar's GNX music video
Chris Brown's Wall to Wall music video
OTHER READS:
