Googie architecture was one of the most visually exuberant and culturally formative design movements of the mid-20th century, yet it remains widely misunderstood. Defined by bold angles, sweeping rooflines, neon signage, and a sense of space-age optimism, Googie transformed everyday buildings into roadside spectacle. Coffee shops, bowling alleys, car washes, banks, and churches were designed not just for function, but to captivate motorists cruising by.

Rooted in Los Angeles, the movement drew inspiration from visionary architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner, while firms like Armet & Davis brought futuristic flair to the commercial landscape. Though many original structures have been lost, preservationists now champion Googie as a serious architectural expression—one that captured the aspirations of postwar America and reshaped the visual identity of the modern city.

This film explores the rise, fall, and revival of Googie, celebrating its role as both a community anchor and a uniquely American contribution to Modern design. Featuring John English, Alan Hess, Alison Martino, Peter Moruzzi, Michael Murphy, Victor Newlove, Chris Nichols, and Charles Phoenix.

A Design Onscreen production directed by award-winning filmmaker Jake Gorst, the documentary Googie premiered at Modernism Week last February.

Jake Gorst is an award–winning documentary filmmaker and writer. Since 2002, Jake and his producing partner Tracey Rennie Gorst have created a body of work that explores architecture, art, design, and cultural history for theatrical, streaming, and public television audiences. He is the author of Andrew Geller: Deconstructed (2015, Glitterati, Inc) and has contributed writing to The Architect’s Newspaper, VOX Hamptons, HOME Miami, Modern and Modernism magazines.

Design Onscreen is a 501.c.3 private operating foundation dedicated to producing, promoting and preserving high-quality films on architecture and design. Founded in 2006 by Denver architecture and design enthusiasts Jill A. Wiltse and H. Kirk Brown III, Design Onscreen has completed ten films, with two more currently in production

Run time: 70 minutes. A Design Onscreen production. designonscreen.org