Letterman Digital Arts Center
Encyclopedia
The Letterman Digital Arts Center (LDAC), located in the Presidio
, San Francisco, is the combined home of Industrial Light & Magic, LucasArts
, and Lucasfilm
's marketing, online, and licensing units.
Opening ceremonies were held June 25, 2005. The $350 million, 850,000 square foot (79,000 m²) center sits on a 23 acres (93,077.8 m²) lot and is home to 1500 employees, who began moving there in July, 2005. The grounds were designed by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin
, who also restored San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square
. The design architect for the buildings was Gensler
, and architect of record
was HKS, Inc.
The lobby of Building B is open to the public during regular business hours and contains a gallery of Lucasfilm memorabilia including props and costumes from the Star Wars film series.
The Presidio is a former U.S. Army
post. Letterman Digital Arts Center takes its name for the U.S Army's Letterman Army Hospital
, which was abandoned and then torn down in 2002. The old hospital and current Digital Arts Center, was named after Army of the Potomac
's Medical Surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Letterman
.
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
, San Francisco, is the combined home of Industrial Light & Magic, LucasArts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
, and Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman and CEO, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
's marketing, online, and licensing units.
Lawrence Halprin
Lawrence Halprin was an influential American landscape architect, designer and teacher.Beginning his career in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, in 1949, Halprin often collaborated with a local circle of modernist architects on relatively modest projects. These figures included William...
, who also restored San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square is a landmark with shops and restaurants in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco, California, USA. A portion of the area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company....
. The design architect for the buildings was Gensler
Gensler
Gensler is an American design and architecture firm headquartered in San Francisco, California. The firm was founded in 1965 by Art Gensler, Drue Gensler, and James Follett, and originally focused on corporate interiors...
, and architect of record
Architect of record
Architect of record is the architect or architecture firm whose name appears on a building permit issued for a specific project on which that architect or firm performed services. Building permits are issued by a government agency with the authority in a certain jurisdiction to regulate building...
was HKS, Inc.
HKS, Inc.
HKS, Inc. is an international architecture firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas . It was founded in 1939 by Harwood K. Smith, a native of Chicago and graduate of Texas A&M University....
The lobby of Building B is open to the public during regular business hours and contains a gallery of Lucasfilm memorabilia including props and costumes from the Star Wars film series.
The Presidio is a former U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
post. Letterman Digital Arts Center takes its name for the U.S Army's Letterman Army Hospital
Letterman Army Hospital
The Letterman Army Hospital was located on the Presidio of San Francisco and was established around 1898.- History :The hospital, built in 1898 and named in 1911 for Jonathan Letterman, was featured in every US foreign conflict in the 20th century and remained in service until the army base was...
, which was abandoned and then torn down in 2002. The old hospital and current Digital Arts Center, was named after Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
's Medical Surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Letterman
Jonathan Letterman
Jonathan Letterman was an American surgeon credited as being the originator of the modern methods for medical organization in armies. Dr...
.