San Diego 1935: Palace of Electricity and Varied Industries.....

The Palace of Electricity and Varied Industries was located on the east side of the California-Pacific International Exposition's Plaza de America, immediately south of the Federal Building. Architect Richard Requa designed the structure to represent the similarities in mass and form between ancient Mayan, Aztec and modern 20th-century architecture. The large rectangular building consisted of plain unadorned walls, decorated with vine-filled planter boxes at the parapet level; while centered along the front facade was a large projecting marquee-style entrance portal, decorated with Mayan and Aztec style fibre-wallboard ornamentation. The floor of the building's entrance featured a colored-concrete panel representing "Electricity and Industry", and a large verdigris-finished panel, located over the entrance, depicted various forms of industry, carved in high-relief. Within the building were located many electrical and industrial exhibits, the main feature of which was the "House of Magic" where popcorn was popped with ice and music transmitted over a beam of light, among other amazing wonders. Electrical demonstrations were presented in a 300-seat theatre, where lecturers explained the intricate details of modern electrical science; while a large-scale "Electric Farm" showed how electricity could be used to improve rural living.

San Diego 1935: Palisades Café.....

The Palisades Café was located at the north end of the California-Pacific International Exposition's Plaza de America, immediately west of the Standard Oil Tower to the Sun. The low Pueblo-style structure featured a deeply-arched entrance portal opening into a large rectangular patio, which contained numerous dining tables covered by brightly colored umbrellas and awnings. Situated along two sides of the open-air patio were several indoor dining rooms, a bar, and cocktail lounge with a dance floor. The entire facility was capable of accommodating several hundred persons, and was second in size only to the Café of the World, located on the Plaza del Pacifico.

San Diego 1935: Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame.....

The Hollywood Motion Picture Hall of Fame was located at the north-west corner of the Plaza de America, along the west side of the California-Pacific International Exposition's Avenida de Naciones. Architect Richard Requa designed the structure in an Indian Pueblo-style to compliment the nearby Palace of Education, which was situated immediately north of the building. Simulated adobe walls, small square windows, projecting wood vigas, and tall wood-pole ladders created the illusion of an ancient Pueblo-style structure; which was enhanced by desert landscaping consisting of many varieties of cacti and aloe. Large red letters spelling "Hollywood" sat at the top of the front facade, above a rectangular entrance portal, proclaiming the nature of the displays located within. The interior contained a large motion-picture memorabilia museum featuring hundreds of items, including Shirley Temple's shoes; and a motion-picture sound stage, where live Hollywood performances were rehearsed and filmed.

San Diego 1935: Palace of Education.....

The Palace of Education was originally constructed as the New Mexico State Building for the 1915-16 exposition, and was located on the west side of the Avenida de Naciones, which passed by the western side of the House of Pacific Relations. For the California-Pacific International Exposition the Pueblo-style building was doubled in size by the addition of a large wing at the rear of the structure, and the interior was completely remodeled. The building's former open-air patio was enclosed, and became the educational exhibit's Theme Room. At the center of the square Theme Room was placed an octagonal fountain, created by sculptor Frederick Shweigardt, representing "The Four Cornerstones of American Democracy"; while the room's rear wall featured a large mural, painted by local artist Belle Baranceanu, depicting "The Progress of Man". Exhibits in the building represented all aspects of education, and included displays from the University of California system and various State Colleges, in addition to exhibits illustrating business education, industrial education, physical education, art education, education of the deaf and blind, journalism, navigation, and many other educational fields. At the rear of the building was located a large cactus garden, containing many varieties of cacti and other desert plants.

San Diego 1935: Standard Oil Tower to the Sun.....

The Standard Oil Tower to the Sun was located at the north end of the Plaza de America, across from the California-Pacific International Exposition's Federal Building. The Mayan-style structure consisted of a rectangular exhibit building, edged with vine-filled planter boxes situated along the parapet, and a three-sided 108-foot high tower, covered with geometrically-patterned ornamentation copied from ancient Yucatan monuments. The building's main entrance was located at the base of the tower, facing north toward El Prado, and was flanked by walls covered with Mayan-style ornamentation. Colorful murals were located above both the curved main entrance and a secondary entrance facing south toward the Plaza de America, and illustrated the beauties of nature found throughout the western National Parks. Colored flood-lighting illuminated the building during the evening hours, creating patterned shadows upon the fibre-wallboard ornamentation. The building's interior contained murals and dioramas depicting National Park scenes; and a small theatre showed a series of motion-pictures describing the natural wonders of the various National Parks.

San Diego 1935: Federal Building.....

The California-Pacific International Exposition's Federal Building was located at the north-east corner of the Plaza de America, facing El Prado; and was designed as a permanent reinforced-concrete structure, to be converted into a theatre after the close of the exposition. Architect Richard Requa based the design of the building on the Palace of the Governor, located within the ancient Mayan settlement of Uxmal, in Yucatan, Mexico. The massive square building featured a low front wing with a triangular-shaped entrance portal, containing a colorful window of reverse-painted glass depicting a standing Mayan priest and a crouching submissive Indian. Flanking the entrance were low towers scored to resemble large stone blocks, covered at their upper levels with elaborately massed and colored Mayan-style ornamentation, created from fibre-wallboard. Wide geometrically-patterned cornices surrounded the structure's two roof levels, and a columned Mayan-style portico overlooked a small tropical garden situated at the rear of the building. The spacious interior contained exhibits representing more than twenty departments of the United States Government.

San Diego 1935: Palace of Travel, Transportation and Water.....

The Palace of Travel, Transportation and Water was located on the east side of the California-Pacific International Exposition's El Prado, south-west of the Organ Amphitheatre. Architect Richard Requa designed the large exhibit structure, which combined elements of both modern and pre-Columbian architecture. The building's main entrance faced El Prado, and consisted of a large rectangular portal enhanced with geometrically patterned Mayan-style ornamentation; while three colorful panels, located above the entrance, illustrated several modes of travel and transportation. Situated north of the building were the spacious California Gardens, filled with large beds of many varieties of flowers grown within the state. At the building's north-east corner, facing the California Gardens, was a second uniquely designed entrance, featuring three cascading waterfalls; at the top of which was situated a colorful stylized-mask of Aztec origin, flanked by large letters spelling "Water Palace". At night the structure was bathed in colored light from concealed sources, and the north entrance was reflected in a Moorish-style pool, surrounded by large decorative urns. Within the building were located numerous exhibits telling the story of advances made in travel and transportation during the past four-hundred years; which included comprehensive displays by the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Railroads. In the Water Palace section of the building the Los Angeles Metropolitan Water District Company featured an exhibit explaining its project of supplying water to Southern California from the soon to be completed Boulder Dam.