When built, U.S. Bank Tower was the first supertall building, not just in Los Angeles, but also in the entire western United States to the west of Chicago and Houston. Originally known as Library Tower, it was constructed across the street from the historic Central Library of Los Angeles and was developed utilizing air rights purchased from the city, preserving the historic open setting of the low-rise building. Its Art-Deco-via-Post-Modern design took cues from established local icons of the 1920s, including City Hall and the Central Library. It is also notable for the public-realm improvements at its base, which is built into a hill. A cascading set of waterfalls and stairs descends around the perimeter.

When built, U.S. Bank Tower was the tallest structure to be located in a seismically active area. Designers based the layout of the tower plan on a concept of overlapping geometries, a circular form superimposed onto a rectilinear matrix, a shape that is translated to the outside of the building and extruded upward into a series of upper level setbacks and a textured façade made up of triangular window bays. The triangular bays are repeated in the crown with more pronounced angles providing greater visual distinction between it and the tower below.

At ground level, development of the tower incorporated the creation of the Bunker Hill steps, a pedestrian link ascending the topographical change between the modern downtown towers built in the Bunker Hill area primarily in the mid to late 20th century and the shorter early 20th century buildings of the historic downtown core.

U.S. Bank Tower has dominated the Los Angeles skyline as its tallest building for 27 years, and has been seen in the backdrop of numerous films produced by Hollywood studios. Its presence will remain a key feature of the skyline, even as its title of the city’s tallest has since passed on to Wilshire Grand Center and as other changes occur to downtown Los Angeles in the in the years to come.