Petersen Automotive Museum

The transformed Petersen Museum creates a renewed image for the museum capturing the art, experience, culture and heritage of the automobile, and becomes a worthy neighbor for the buildings of Museum Row on Los Angeles’ famed Miracle Mile.

Inspired by the form of a car, KPF’s design creates a new “body” around the existing “chassis” of the museum. The rooftop is converted into a party space that can be rented out. A corrugated aluminium rain screen outboard wraps the building, while “ribbons” of angel hair stainless steel and red painted aluminium flow around the building, maneuvering the existing entry vestibule and other apertures. Sitting atop the existing structural system like the body of a car mounted to its frame, the steel “ribbons” evoke a sense of speed and movement and are brushed to avoid creation of glare. The design offers a contemporary interpretation of the mid-century, space-age “Googie” architectural style that characterizes Los Angeles. The result is one of the most significant and unforgettable structures in Los Angeles.

Read more about the design of the Petersen Automotive Museum here.

Location

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Client

Petersen Automotive Museum

Team

House & Robertson Architects (Executive Architect), A. Zahner Company (Fabricator)

Type

Adaptive Reuse

Size

12,500 m2 / 135,000 ft2

Awards

Museum/Collection of the Year (The Historic Motoring Awards 2020), American Architecture Award – Winner (The Chicago Athenaeum 2017), Award – Shortlisted (World Architecture Festival 2017)

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Project Type:Civic + Cultural
Project Location:Americas