'Bouncy-House Urbanism' Reaches New Heights

When a glass slide installed 1,000 feet up the tallest skyscraper on the West Coast is more than it appears.

2 minute read

June 29, 2016, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


U.S. Bank Tower

trekandshoot / Shutterstock

You might have already encountered footage of the Skyslide in Los Angeles being flown into place by a large helicopter, or of the first terrified human guinea pigs sliding down the glass connection between the 70th and 69th floors of the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles.

L.A. Times Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne visited the new tourist attraction that opened on June 25 and was inspired to conjure up a term that is surely applicable to many places around the country: bouncy-house urbanism.

First, Hawthorne dispenses with the formality of describing the experiencing of sliding down a glass enclosure some 1,000 feet above the pavement below: "The ride won’t exactly be a threat to Six Flags. Nor would I say I’m in a hurry to try it again. But it was an architectural experience, however brief, of a kind I don’t think I’ve ever had."

The slide is the result of a $50 million renovation that includes an observation deck, two new lobbies, a café, a "transfer floor," and a restaurant and bar. Bus, as Hawthorne notes, much more powerful forces are at work than a simple renovation of a building built for a different era of business:

Though it was more than 80% leased when it opened in 1989, by the time OUE scooped it up for $367.5 million three years ago the building was barely half full. And its problems are not unique: As white-shoe law firms shrink and expanding tech companies in L.A. increasingly move into restored warehouses or historic buildings, commercial skyscrapers around the country are struggling to find tenants.

Enter "bouncy-house urbanism." As Hawthorne notes, the building's new owners are hardly the first "to see a possible revenue stream in the desire of adults to pay money to act like children in downtown settings." 

Thursday, June 23, 2016 in Los Angeles Times

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

12 minutes ago - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

1 hour ago - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

2 hours ago - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.