Posted on 08/10/2025 6:29:45 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Thar she blows: Elon Musk’s new / retro Tesla Diner on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and Orange Street in Hollywood, CA. Designed to appeal to the deepest techno-narcissistic yearnings of the tech genius class of Americans. . . a very small demographic. It’s all sleek chrome and glass, with overtones of UFO. Cutting Edge! Transhuman chic! America is probably as sick of the tech fantasia trend as it is with Woke ideology. We’re beginning to grok that the future isn’t what it was cracked up to be. I predict the Tesla Diner will soon become the target of flash mobs seeking Rolex watches, Hermès Birkin handbags, and the keys to hot cars parked in its modest lot.
Note (in shot below, which is likely a rendering, not a real photo) that the structure actually addresses the street-corner properly. It’s brought up to the sidewalk edge as a truly urban building with ground-floor retail should be. Parking is in mid-block. Points for that. The neighborhood is attempting to densify with multistory apartment buildings. But LA, as we know, is struggling with suicidal tendencies, what with massive homeless squalor, the “undocumented” La Raza invasion, and Marxist municipal politics. I’m not so sure the densification project will continue.
Also note (photo following the one below) just how weak and squalid the urban condition is right across Santa Monica Blvd from the diner.
You might as well be in Jolliet, Illinois.
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Elon is a huge fan of stainless so it’s fitting and I agree the retro-futuristic Airstream/diner vibe is pretty cool. The stainless aspect pulls a lot of themes together nicely. I notice the building has what looks like a big rotary fan up top with slanted paddles. I wonder if that’s actually functional? It would be a cool way to create some air movement for the people on the upper deck.
If Bill Gates built it the Musk Derangement people would praise it.
"...Designed to appeal to the deepest techno-narcissistic yearnings of the tech genius class of Americans. . . a very small demographic. It’s all sleek chrome and glass, with overtones of UFO. Cutting Edge! Transhuman chic! America is probably as sick of the tech fantasia trend as it is with Woke ideology. We’re beginning to grok that the future isn’t what it was cracked up to be. I predict the Tesla Diner will soon become the target of flash mobs seeking Rolex watches, Hermès Birkin handbags, and the keys to hot cars parked in its modest lot..."
My eye tells me this is a fine looking structure, and the author seems to have more of an issue with where the thing is located and the surrounding clientele rather than the structure itself.
I don't agree with the author's evaluation, and while I admire Musk in his SpaceX efforts (Not a fan of Tesla, but that is more the issue with EV than with Teslas themselves) I don't think I would like or dislike this structure based on anything to do with Musk.
If I saw this passing by, I would think it was pretty cool looking. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Starship itself, IMO.
LOL. Watching American Graffiti literally right now.
I don’t get the critique. It’s way off base from where I sit, and I’m no Musk/Tesla cheerleader.
Love Art Deco, so love the building. Add some decent police protection to this Santa Monica area and it could be a successful tourist attraction.
Love variety in architecture from homes built to replicate the Flintstones and Hobbitown to the Long Island Duckling School of Architecture.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Duck
Also love Trump’s described vision of Classic Architecture in DC.
Really disliked the rectangular concrete boxes of the 40’s/50’s but understand their cheap appeal. Glad to hear many of them are being replaced.
I don’t think Tesla sedans are bad looking at all, but...that CyberTruck? That is one of the ugliest things on the road.
I imagine it is quite functional in certain respects...it can certainly stop some caliber of bullets up to .45 ACP (I watched a video of them doing this testing) but...it is butt ugly.
It’s retro, rather than bold.
Most of the eyesores of the month are bombastic wastes of materials and labor, in the service of “making a statement”. (In the architecture field, those three words evoke Ronald Reagan’s jibe about “We’re from the government and we’re here to help”. Run for your lives!).
The Tesla Diner actually has a coolness factor, is well thought out, and works on any levels (except for the xeroscape “landscaping” the government dictated). Compared to most buildings it is outright wonderful.
In doing aa little research, I have found that they have 80 charging stations there. This brings to mind a couple of questions:
1. Will the people eating there be charging their vehicles every time or do they even have an EV?
2. How long can an EV be allowed to stay on the charger and since they have a restaurant to support, do the charging vehicles have priority in the parking
3. Who’s going to pay for this and will it put a damper on the grid? They already have rolling browns in LA now a it is. So during lunch and dinner hours, will the increased demand be covered?
It may have some bugs.
wy69
I SEE CIRCULAR SHADE FOR OPEN TABLES ON THAT AREA.
“Love Art Deco, so love the building.”
You are so right. I see this as Art Deco also. My first thought.
As a matter of taste, he and I disagree on this one.
“… would be MUCH better if it attracted 50’s and 60’s classic cars…”
Yes. Fins and chrome in the lot would fit right in.
Orange Street does not cross Santa Monica Blvd. It's on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and N. Orange Drive.
Looks like they cut the legs off the space needle.
Yuck!
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