Rising unexpectedly from a residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, the Watts Towers stand as a testament to a singular, unwavering vision. They are not the product of architectural firms or city planning, but the decades-long obsession of one man: Sabato “Simon” Rodia. This Italian immigrant construction worker, armed with little more than basic tools, scrap materials, and an incredible reserve of determination, erected seventeen interconnected structures that continue to fascinate and inspire. The very essence of the towers lies in Rodia’s ingenious, almost alchemical, use of common cement mortar combined with an astonishing array of discarded objects.
An Unlikely Architect and His Vision
Simon Rodia arrived in the United States from Italy near the turn of the 20th century. He worked various manual labor jobs, including construction and tile setting, experiences that undoubtedly gave him a practical understanding of materials like steel and concrete. Yet, he possessed no formal training in art or architecture. What drove him, starting around 1921, to begin building his intricate towers on his small triangular plot of land in Watts remains a subject of speculation. He famously stated he wanted “to do something big,” something enduring. He worked alone, primarily after his day job and on weekends, for an incredible thirty-three years.
His process was organic and additive. There were no blueprints, no detailed plans sketched out in advance. Rodia built intuitively, responding to the materials he found and the structural possibilities he discovered as he went along. This improvisational approach is key to understanding the towers’ unique aesthetic – a blend of soaring ambition and intricate, hand-wrought detail.
The Backbone: Steel, Mesh, and Mortar
The structural heart of the Watts Towers consists of steel pipes and reinforcing rods (rebar), bent and shaped by hand using railroad tracks as makeshift anvils. Rodia would climb his creations, using simple tools like pipe fitters’ wrenches, hammers, and chisels, to piece together the skeletal framework. He didn’t use rivets, bolts, or welding in the conventional sense; instead, he wired the joints together meticulously before encasing them.
Over this steel skeleton, he wrapped layers of wire mesh, creating a surface for his primary binding agent: cement mortar. This mixture, typically consisting of Portland cement, sand, and water, was applied entirely by hand. Rodia carried bucket after bucket up the structures, painstakingly covering every inch of the metal framework. This mortar wasn’t just structural; it became the canvas upon which he embedded his treasures.
Structural Soundness Verified: Despite initial skepticism about their stability, the City of Los Angeles conducted stress tests on the Watts Towers in 1959, intending to prove them unsafe for demolition. A crane applying increasing horizontal force was used. The towers proved remarkably resilient, resisting forces far exceeding requirements and ultimately damaging the testing equipment itself, thus saving them from destruction.
A Tapestry of Found Objects
What truly sets the Watts Towers apart is the incredible mosaic skin created from objects Rodia collected or received from neighbors, particularly children who knew he treasured colorful cast-offs. He adorned nearly every square inch of the mortar surface with an eclectic mix of found materials. This wasn’t random dumping; it was deliberate placement, creating patterns, textures, and shimmering surfaces.
Treasures from Trash
The inventory of embedded objects reads like an archaeological cross-section of early-to-mid-20th century Los Angeles life:
- Glass Bottles: Thousands of fragments, primarily from green 7 Up bottles, but also blue Milk of Magnesia bottles, clear glass, and brown beer bottles, catch the light and add vibrant color.
- Ceramic Tiles: Broken pieces from manufacturers like Batchelder and Malibu Potteries, salvaged scraps, and whole decorative tiles create intricate patterns.
- Seashells: Various types, embedded whole or fragmented, adding organic shapes and pearlescent textures.
- Pottery Shards: Fragments of plates, cups, and vases contribute to the mosaic effect.
- Rocks and Pebbles: Used for texture and grounding elements.
- Larger Metal Scraps: Occasionally, Rodia incorporated larger items like faucet handles, parts of bed frames, or tools directly into the structure before applying the final mortar layer.
Rodia pressed these items into the wet mortar, often working section by section. He created impressions as well, using tools, corn cobs (leaving a distinctive texture on many support columns), and even his own hands to shape the surfaces before the cement set. The result is a dazzling, complex facade that changes with the light, revealing new details upon closer inspection. It’s a monumental example of recycling and repurposing, long before such concepts became mainstream environmental concerns.
Cement: The Great Unifier
While the steel provides the skeleton and the found objects provide the sparkle, it is the cement mortar that binds everything together, both literally and visually. It is the matrix holding the myriad pieces in place, the thick, grey connective tissue that flows around every shard of glass and pottery fragment. Rodia didn’t aim for a smooth, polished finish. The hand-applied nature of the mortar is evident everywhere, contributing to the overall texture and ruggedness of the towers.
The sheer volume of mortar required is staggering, especially considering Rodia mixed it all by hand and hauled it up the towers himself, often using simple buckets. It speaks to his physical endurance and unwavering commitment. This cement is not merely functional; it is an integral part of the artwork, its grey tones providing a neutral background that makes the colors of the embedded objects pop, while its texture adds another layer of complexity to the visual experience.
Enduring Legacy of an Outsider
For decades, Simon Rodia worked in relative obscurity, often viewed as an eccentric by his neighbors. When he abruptly stopped work in 1954, deeded the property to a neighbor, and moved away, never to return, the future of his creation was uncertain. It faced neglect and calls for demolition. However, artists, architects, and community members recognized the unique artistic value of the towers, launching efforts to preserve them.
Today, the Watts Towers of Simon Rodia are a National Historic Landmark and a California Historical Landmark, recognized internationally as a major achievement of American folk art or outsider art. They embody the power of individual vision, the beauty that can be found in discarded materials, and the extraordinary results achievable through relentless dedication and the simple, powerful combination of human ingenuity, found objects, and basic cement mortar.
