Peter Zumthor, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect, discusses the making of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's (LACMA) new David Geffen Galleries in an interview. He explains his rejection of overly slick, corporate architecture in favor of a raw, handmade concrete structure, describing the building as a "concrete sculpture." Zumthor details his collaboration with LACMA director Michael Govan, who encouraged him to incorporate "American roughness" into the design, a lesson Zumthor says he has brought back to his European practice.
This interview matters because the David Geffen Galleries are one of the most anticipated and divisive museum projects in recent years, representing a major architectural statement for LACMA and Los Angeles. Zumthor's candid reflections on the building's design philosophy—prioritizing emotional experience and rejecting refinement—offer rare insight into the creative process behind a landmark institution. The project also highlights the evolving relationship between European architectural traditions and American cultural contexts, with implications for how museums are conceived and built globally.