belzberg architects: los angeles museum of the holocaust

‘los angeles museum of the holocaust’ by belzberg architects image courtesy belzberg architects

santa monica based office belzberg architects has finished the design of the new los angeles museum of the holocaust (LAMOTH). now open to the public, the museum features an undulating green roof that pulls up the northwest corner of los angeles’ pan pacific park. serving as an annex to the already existing holocaust monument, the multi-cultural museum aims to integrate completely into the public green space, minimizing the visual impact on the park’s atmosphere.

the roof, while subtle in height, features graphic lines of concrete that divides the surface into a series of zigzagging pedestrian paths. slicing through the center is the descending entry ramp, which tapers in to an interior space that is flanked by sloped ceilings and perspective-altering floors. the design of the layout and circulation kept conscious the institute’s 50 year history, utilizing the building’s underground elements to evoke certain emotions from the visitors. clever usage of natural light from above alleviates the darkness and compressive atmosphere provided by the shotcrete columns.

rendered bird’s eye view of the green roof image courtesy belzberg architects

at night image © brandon shigeta

south elevation image © brandon shigeta

entry ramp image © brandon shigeta

(left) lobby area (top right) shotcrete columns (bottom right) underground gallery spaces all images courtesy LA curbed

natural light wells reaching the darker lower level image courtesy LA curbed

rendered plan with the roof off image courtesy belzberg architects

sectional view image courtesy belzberg architects

roof components and geometry image courtesy belzberg architects

construction phase image courtesy belzberg architects

image courtesy belzberg architects

image courtesy belzberg architects

image courtesy belzberg architects

shotcrete pieces image courtesy belzberg architects

in context image courtesy belzberg architects

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