GTA V Trailer Satirizes LA Planning And Construction

The new edition of the Grand Theft Auto series will parody LA, including its idiosyncratic planning landscape, which will feature avaricious developers, activist NIMBYs, and a oceanside dwelling starchitect.

1 minute read

November 4, 2011, 2:00 PM PDT

By George Haugh


The trailer for the video game shows the ongoing construction of a high rise, multiuse complex named "The Mile High Club," under construction in what is clearly a fictional downtown LA, a wind farm modeled on one already built in at the foot of Mt. San Jacinto, and repossessed tract homes.

The alienated voice over introducing us to the title describes, "a big house, the weather," and other vague references to the California easy life as reasons to move there.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 in Curbed LA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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