Local High School Is One of Most Beautiful in World

Some call it simply Central Los Angeles Area High School #9.

But for most of us nearby it's the Ramon Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Call it what you will.

The culture blog Flavorpill is simply calling the Downtown L.A. school one of the "most beautiful and imaginative public schools in the world."

Click through to see entry here.

It's one of only two U.S. entries in the photo essay, featuring schools from Europe, Africa and Asia.

Pomona's Diamond Ranch High School--designed by the New York City group Morphosis-- is the other.

Cortines has been criticized by some for both its cost and its use of Austria's Coop Himmelblau, rather than local architects and designers.

Do you agree?

And what do you think are Echo Park and Silver Lake examples of beautiful and imaginative schools?

Tell us in comments. Or, better yet, share a photo.