Kohn Pedersen Fox will deign the exterior of the Petersen Automotive Museum located in Los Angeles, California. Petersen Automotive Museum is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture using Los Angeles as the prime example.
Encompassing more than 300,000 square feet, its exhibits and lifelike dioramas feature more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.
From the Architects:
“For two decades [the Petersen] has charmed visitors with its fantastic collection and its focus on education and entertainment,” says Peter Mullin, Petersen’s Chairman of the Board. “Our plan is to work with the best and brightest minds in architecture, automotive history and interactive design to give the people of Los Angeles and the world a place where they can be immersed in the culture, sights and sounds of the greatest vehicles ever built.”
But the truth is that today the Petersen is having trouble getting visitors to come back a second time. “People say to themselves, ‘There’s no reason to go to the Petersen – I’ve already been there,’” Mullin said. He hopes that a serious refurbishment of the museum and an updating of its exhibits will make repeat visits up to 60% of daily attendance.
For the eye-catching exterior, the Petersen and KPF, along with architectural metal experts Zahner, will install long ribbons of stainless steel around three sides and over the top of the deep red building, “making a visceral statement that evokes the imagery of speed and the organic curves of a coach-built automobile.” At night, the color and steel forms will be lit with LEDs from within to accentuate the sculptural facade of the building. The original building will undergo these renovations without any major architectural changes itself.
The transformation will also extend into the museum’s interior, where 15,000 square feet of display space will be added. Redesigned galleries will feature state-of-the-art lighting, digital displays and innovative learning stations that tell the stories of the people and machines that revolutionized the 20th century. The permanent collection will be restored and upgraded to include historically significant American and European classics, hot rods, groundbreaking race cars, the latest in alternative fuel technology, cars with Hollywood heritage and even vehicles designed and built in LA.
Source ArchDaily. *
Project: Petersen Automotive Museum
Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Website: www.kpf.com
