FIVE-DAY COUNTDOWN BEGINS FOR GEHRY-DESIGNED ADVOCACY CENTER OPENING IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

State-Of-The-Art Facility Boasts Mirrored 22 Ton Stainless Steel Vertical Tower

LOS ANGELES -September 19, 2002-Two hundred and fifty-five thousand tons of steel in the middle of downtown Los Angeles would be hard to miss on any bright fall day, particularly with a majestic 22-ton mirrored stainless steel vertical tower marking the spot. Even so, with only 5 days to go until the venue opens its doors, the less obvious details of the new Girardi Advocacy Center designed by renowned architect Frank O. Gehry are what make the structure most striking. Nestled within 124 steel girders and 18 columns totaling 255,000 tons are 16 miles of electrical conduit with 109 miles of electrical wiring to accommodate the high-tech audio visual systems, 850 cubic yards of concrete, top-notch acoustical fittings that exceed sound stage quality requirements with special sound traps that make air flow nearly soundless, and 500 linear feet of duct work on the rooftop - all coming together to create one of the finest state-of-the-art advocacy centers in the world.
Built from the ground up on the downtown Loyola Law School campus, the 15,141 square-foot building occupies the southeast corner of the Jeffersonian village begun by Gehry in the late 1970s.

The new structure, already booked for lectures and an upcoming moot court in anticipation of the opening on September 23, contains a 90-person trial courtroom, a jury deliberation room, a 70-person appellate courtroom, a 36-person Center for Ethical Advocacy classroom and video training labs, and state-of-the-art presentation technology on every floor.

Outside, the building is finished with three coats of a rust colored plaster custom chosen by Gehry. A striking 65-foot conical silver tower punctuates each level of the building, covered in curved laminated glass and 120 stainless steel panels - some with mirrored finish and others with a special matte-like finish known as "angel hair" developed by Gehry. The round tower rooms offer views of the entire campus. With tower floors constructed of pie slices of structural glass and stainless steel diamond plate sections aligned at each level, the rooms offer views from nearly every angle.
The law campus, almost entirely designed by Gehry, served as a launching point for the architect's growing acclaim. The seven buildings fully designed by Gehry and the two existing buildings renovated by Gehry chronicle his career from the late 70s through to the present day. The campus has been the subject of both local and international architectural awards.

Gehry is famous for his influential designs worldwide, including the Frederick R. Wiseman Art Museum, Minneapolis (1992); the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao (1997); and the Temporary Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (1983), among other projects.

Working together with Gehry, the Loyola Law School team led by Dean David Burcham, and the Girardi family to create the new Girardi Advocacy Center were a number of other well-known groups, including Turner Construction Company. Turner is the nation's leading general builder with 42 offices across the country and is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

About Loyola Law School

Established in 1920, Loyola Law is one of the oldest law schools in California, and is part of Loyola Marymount University. Loyola Law is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS). The Loyola Law School campus is located at 919 S. Albany Street (at Olympic Blvd.) in Los Angeles. Loyola Marymount University's Westchester campus is located at One LMU Drive.

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