new images of peter zumthor's design for new LACMA building

fresh images have been revealed of peter zumthor’s design for the new LACMA building in los angeles. the project, which was approved earlier in 2019, will be a museum housing LACMA’s permanent collection within a series of galleries. eight new renderings illustrate the scale of the scheme, which had been reduced in height compared to its previous version. it was confirmed that the project had been approved by local authorities on april 10, 2019, with construction documents now in the process of being formally drawn up.

exterior view east from BCAM
image © atelier peter zumthor & partner / the boundary

LACMA’s new building will be composed of seven semi-transparent concrete and glass pavilions that support an elevated, organically shaped, and transparent main exhibition level with a floor-to-ceiling glass façade. zumthor’s design also includes new outdoor landscaped plazas, public programming, educational spaces, sculpture gardens, and integrated native and drought-tolerant vegetation. a new parking lot will also be created as part of the scheme.

view southwest from hancock park, pavilion for japanese art on the far right
image © atelier peter zumthor & partner / the boundary

in april, the los angeles county board of supervisors met to certify the project’s final environmental impact report (FEIR) and rubber stamp the project. construction documents will now be drawn up with construction to begin in late 2019. completion is forecast for the end of 2023.

exterior view west toward the resnick pavilion, BCAM, and the smidt welcome plaza
image © atelier peter zumthor & partner / the boundary

once complete, visitors will be able to access the museum via a new metro station — also set to open in 2023. the subway station on the metro purple line will also provide access to other institutions on ‘miracle mile’, including the la brea tar pits museum and the new academy museum of motion pictures. see designboom’s previous coverage of zumthor’s design here, with more information available on LACMA’s website.

interior view of a meander gallery
image © atelier peter zumthor & partner / the boundary

project info:

architect: atelier peter zumthor & partner
client: LACMA — los angeles county museum of art
location: los angeles, CA, USA
status: approved by local authorities, construction documents being drawn up