William Leonard Pereira

William Pereira was born on April 25, 1909 and graduated from the University of Illinois’ School of Architecture, and began his career in his home town of Chicago. His earliest architectural experience was helping to draft the master plan for the 1933 "A Century of Progress" Chicago Worlds Fair. With his brother, Hal, Pereira designed the Esquire Theater, considered one of Chicago's best examples of Art Deco.

William moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s with his brother. After working as a solo practitioner, he designed the first buildings for the Motion Picture Country House in Woodland Hills (1942). After a short stint working in Hollywood as an art director and occasional producer, he continued his architecture career first as a professor of architecture at USC and then formed a partnership with Charles Luckman in 1950.

One of their most well-known buildings in their nine year partnership was the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport – done in collaboration with Paul Williams and Welton Becket. Pereira and Luckman parted in 1959 and Pereira formed his third and final company, William I. Pereira and Associates. In the 1960s and 70s he and his team completed over 250 projects. He died on November 13, 1989.

Partial List of Projects

Central Library (1970)
UC San Diego
*William I. Pereira and Associates

Convair Astronautics (1958)
Kearny Mesa
*Pereira and Luckman; Demolished

General Atomics (1957)
3550 General Atomics Court
*Pereira and Luckman

General Dynamics (1964)
Kearny Mesa
*Pereira and Luckman; Demolished

Grossmont Hospital (1958)
555 Grossmont Center Drive
*Attributed to Charles Luckman & Associates