Posted by One of Los Angeles’ most iconic landmarks is getting a major makeover. Just don’t expect it to be completed anytime soon.
Earlier this week LACMA revealed new design concepts for its latest redesign project: an approximate 368,000 sq. ft. venture that replaces four deteriorating, dark-grey concrete buildings within its East Campus (the Ahmanson, Art of the Americas, and Hammer buildings, as well as the Leo S. Bing Center).
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In 2013, there will inklings of expansions plans that would land this unique structure closer to the La Brea Tarpits, but in 2015, it was decided that a similar model would be constructed along Wilshire Boulevard instead.
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Under the vision of Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the new building will consist of an elevated, organically shaped, translucent main exhibition level anchored by eight semi-transparent pavilions.
Extending over Wilshire Boulevard to the Spaulding lot on the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Spaulding Avenue, the new building will open up two-and-a-half acres of outdoor space to the public with landscaped plazas, sculpture gardens, and native and drought-tolerant vegetation integration – just to name a few.
According to LACMA’s dedicated website for the project, the horizontal layout with no front or back aims to give every cultures equal focus. This is solely an East Campus project though; buildings west of the plaza entrance and the Bruce Goff-designed Pavilion for Japanese Art will stay intact.
Also: some good news about parking. A new parking structure will be built on the west side of Ogden Drive on the south of the corner of Ogden and Wilshire Boulevard to accommodate more space. Phew, no more stressful, down-to-the wire parking crises.
This $600-million project funded by private donations and the county will begin construction in 2018 and is expected to finish in 2023.
You can check out a few more of the concept designs below.
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