The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has unveiled its new $724 million David Geffen Galleries, a long-awaited and controversial expansion designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The structure, which spans Wilshire Boulevard with its distinctive horizontal, glass-walled design, marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to modernize the campus and replace several aging buildings.
This project represents a significant gamble for Los Angeles, positioning the city as a center for experimental architectural design while testing a new model for museum layouts that eschews traditional chronological hierarchies. The opening is a pivotal moment for Director Michael Govan, who has championed the project against critics of its reduced square footage and unconventional aesthetics, ultimately aiming to redefine the 21st-century encyclopedic museum experience.