A famous Eugene Kinn Choy commission is the 1962 Cathay Bank headquarters in the heart of Chinatown, which balances Corporate Modernism of the 1950s with decorative elements that recall dynastic palace architecture of the Ming and Qing eras. The firm is known for pioneering Modern architecture design.
According to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, fewer than one in
five new architects identify as racial or ethnic minorities, and approximately two in five are
women.
Silver Lake’s Eugene Kinn Choy was the second Chinese-American to become a
member of the American Institute of Architects and overcame unimaginable obstacles to
become one of America’s foremost architects. He was the first Chinese-American
graduate of the USC School of Architecture (1939) and founded a successful firm inherited
by his sons.
The Silver Lake History Collective interviewed Eugene Kinn Choy’s son Barton in a
fascinating—and provocative— video.
VIEW THE VIDEO HERE.