Architectural Blunders

* I’m a native Californian and four-year resident of Orange County. Its well-planned communities, classy shopping centers, and overall upscale appearance are what attracted me. However, I have noticed a constant downfall in its architecture and overall appearance.

First, the new Irvine Spectrum Entertainment Center. In Orange County, most planned communities won’t let you change the color of your house from ivory to eggshell, but somebody OKd an entertainment center that from afar looks like a mobile carnival that temporarily rolled into the supermarket parking lot. This isn’t Las Vegas (the casino with the most colorful lights wins). And to place it next to two beautifully designed Irvine icons (the Western Digital and AT&T; buildings) is a disgrace.

Then there is the Tustin Market Place. When you see the 40-foot, bright yellow Ikea building, you know you’re there, and you can see the neon glow 20 miles away. Lastly, there is the newly added concrete jungle of double-decker freeways, new overpasses, and new toll roads. This should make the next big earthquake a real experience. I hope this is not the direction city planners are taking us. Personally, I was content with the architecture styles of Fashion Island or Crystal Court . . . and Laguna Canyon looked better without the concrete.

WARREN DIMARTINI

Aliso Viejo