Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Building for the Permanent Collection

California, USA

Project details

Client

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Architect

Atelier Peter Zumthor

Duration

Completion expected in 2026

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Building services engineering (MEP), Fire engineering, Lighting design, Sustainability

As the largest museum in the Western United States the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) attracts over 1.2 million visitors annually and houses over 130,000 works.

As part of an ambitious plan to update its east campus the museum has embarked on a $650 million project to unify the permanent collection galleries into a cohesive museum space, while opening the ground level areas to the community. 海角视频 is providing integrated engineering services for the museum, whose proposed layout requires a relaxed environmental design criteria in order to achieve a reduction in overall energy consumption.

Highly progressive water recycling program using recycled rainwater for toilet flushing, cooling towers, and irrigation

Extensive use of radiant heating and cooling to minimise energy use

Striving for LEED Gold minimum certification

Challenge

A key challenge for the team was to ensure an ideal environment for both occupant comfort as well as keeping the atmosphere stable for delicate artwork to be displayed.

The building is designed to achieve at least LEED Gold certification and is planned to be solar鈥憆eady, supporting ambitious net鈥憐ero energy goals. David Geffen Galleries at LACMA; view northwest at dusk from exhibition level toward Resnick Pavilion. Image: Iwan Baan.

Solution

The proposed curvilinear design will replace four former buildings of the original campus designed by William Pereira and Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer. The plan, which calls for the demolition of the original structures, is set to include a one level sinuous building that will span Wilshire Boulevard.

The innovative design allows perimeter galleries with a flexible temperature range for occupant comfort and more stable artwork display, while more delicate art will be placed in interior galleries with tighter temperature and humidity controls.

The building will incorporate extensive use of radiant heating and cooling to minimize energy use and the use of mechanical systems, and will be made solar-ready for the future.
Ron Elad, Principal

海角视频 provided multidisciplinary engineering services across environmental, structural, and sustainability systems. David Geffen Galleries at LACMA; exterior view of exhibition level. Image: Iwan Baan.

The one鈥憀evel, curving structure spans Wilshire Boulevard, creating a striking architectural landmark while opening the ground level for public movement and connection. Aerial view of LACMA buildings, including David Geffen Galleries in context of Miracle Mile. Image: Iwan Baan.

Value

The project will also include a highly progressive water recycling program using recycled rainwater for toilet flushing, cooling towers, and irrigation. Innovative biofiltration planters will be considered for stormwater retention.

The new building will strive for LEED Gold minimum certification with ambitious net zero energy goals, an incredible achievement for a museum.

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A new cultural icon winds above Wilshire