L eland Bryant specialized in luxury apartment buildings, but the Sunset Tower was his crowning achievement. His work is predominantly Period Revival styles, but with this structure he proved that he was equally adept with modern idioms. A rt Deco involved the use of geometric forms, of combinations of horizontal and vertical elements. Devoid of philosophy or ideology, unencumbered by precedents or expectations, Art Deco was pure style. Artists, architects, and designers were free to experiment with design vocabulary, iconography, and ornamentation.
Faceted windows accent the corners of the building.
Above the street entrance and along the building's set-backs, plaster friezes express a tangle of images, some typical of Deco design, others the product of Bryant's creativity. Flora and Fauna, mythological creatures, zeppelins, and even Adam and Eve share the space comfortably. Atop the tower are engaged pylons and a pineapple finial. In a playful reference to its use, sculptured panels depict the radiator grille of a 20's automobile over the entrance to the garage at the rear. A rchitecturally, the Sunset Tower represents the moment when Los Angeles, Art Deco, and Hollywood came together, their combined qualities produced elegance, sophistication, and fantasy.