Revolutionary moving architecture in Exposition Park
Opening September 22 in Los Angeles‘s Exposition Park, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art by MAD architects defies traditional design through its moving architecture. Its appearance of floating is not just for show—it’s thanks to an engineered base isolation system that allows the structure to move up to 107 centimeters (42 inches) during an earthquake.
This dynamic 27,870-square-meter (300,000-square-foot) museum utilizes steel beams spanning 56 meters (185 feet) to create a central plaza, offering a shelter where the structure lightly grazes the ground. A striking feature is an elliptical oculus, drawing daylight into the space and dividing upper galleries. Ma Yansong of MAD describes the design as fluid and seamlessly integrated into the landscape.
A decade of precise moving architecture design
The museum’s form has evolved since its initial conception in Chicago in 2014 to suit its Los Angeles location. Its façade comprises 1,271 individually shaped fiberglass-reinforced polymer panels, measuring on average 2.4 by 9.7 meters (8 by 32 feet).
The underlying structure includes 281 base isolators with 1.8-meter (six-foot) concave steel bowls and steel balls, a seismic technology typically reserved for hospitals. This system ensures stability without disrupting the plaza, which is circled by a movable sidewalk showcasing the principles of moving architecture.
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Interior innovations and cultural offerings
Visitors enter through two lobbies, accented by wood and the museum’s iconic white panels, leading to galleries via three transparent glass elevators. The interior houses a library framed by curved wooden shelving, ten studios, classrooms, and additional galleries.
The fourth-floor displays span 7,620 square meters (82,000 square feet), showcasing narrative art by creators like Artemisia Gentileschi and Frida Kahlo to Robert Crumb. The Lucas Archives and additional galleries under a sculpted ceiling provide a comprehensive artistic journey within the context of moving architecture concepts.
The landscape and sustainable solutions
The landscape, designed by Studio-MLA and led by Mia Lehrer, covers 4.5 hectares (11 acres), transforming former asphalt spaces into lush gardens and artistic installations. More than 300 trees, an amphitheater, and outdoor sculptures enrich the museum’s surroundings.
Sustainability features prominently with a geothermal system of 765 wells paired with monocrystalline solar panels across the museum’s roof, collectively covering 2,230 square meters (24,000 square feet).
A tribute to storytelling
The museum hosts a free research library filled with over 2,900 volumes from Joseph Campbell’s collection. This resource supports the mission of honoring narrative art. George Lucas notes that the museum was created to celebrate “humanity’s stories and the artists who illustrate them.”
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Source: urdesignmag.com
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Lucas Museum’s architecture groundbreaking?
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art features moving architecture, an engineered base isolation system allowing it to move during an earthquake without disrupting the structure. It uses individually shaped fiberglass-reinforced polymer panels and steel beams creating a central plaza.
How is sustainability incorporated into the Lucas Museum?
The museum includes a geothermal system of 765 wells and monocrystalline solar panels covering 2,230 square meters across the roof. The landscape also transformed former asphalt spaces into lush gardens, incorporating sustainable features.
What cultural offerings does the Lucas Museum provide?
The museum offers a library with over 2,900 volumes and displays narrative art by creators like Artemisia Gentileschi and Frida Kahlo. The interior includes ten studios, classrooms, and galleries providing a comprehensive artistic journey.