Steven Holl Architects - Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Competition winner
Steven Holl Architects
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California

"Steven Holl’s approach to the new museum project demonstrates a respect for the historic integrity of the original building and a deep understanding of the complex programmatic needs of the new space."
Jane Pisano
President and Director
Natural History Museum

Photo courtesy Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County have announced the selection of New York based architect Steven Holl to partner with the Museum on a multi-year, multi-phase project that will combine new construction with portions of its historically significant structures, including the complete restoration and seismic retrofit of the Museum’s original 1913 Beaux Arts inspired building.
The final decision was based on Steven Holl’s past work and conceptual ideas.

Photo courtesy Natural History Museum

"In each project, we seek new ways to integrate an organizing idea with the programmatic and functional essence of a building. Rather than a "style" carried to different sites and climates, or pursued regardless of different programs, we seek the unique character of a program and site, local and global, as the starting point for an architectural idea."
Steven Holl

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects
Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Completed 1999

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects
Sarphatistraat Offices, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Completed 2000

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects
MIT residence (Simmons Hall) under construction.
Scheduled for completion Fall 2002.

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri
Under construction

Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects
In March 2002 Steven Holl won the competition for
Cornell's new Architecture Building, Millstein Hall.

The renovation and expansion project proposes the reconstruction of the existing 410,000 square foot building, including selective replacement of portions of the structure, renovation of remaining historic portions, and the preservation of the nationally registered original 1913 Museum building.
In addition, 80,000 square feet of off-site facilities will be relocated to the Museum’s 14-acre site in Exposition Park. The structural flexibility of the design will enable the Museum to present up-to-the-minute exhibitions that explore today’s critical issues.

The Museum and Holl will work together to formulate an approach to the new Natural History Museum, to be fully developed and refined over the next several years, which will creatively integrate the institution’s past with its future. The design will create new exhibition and programming space that takes full advantage of contemporary technologies while also addressing serious seismic issues, and replacing aging and inadequate facilities.
"We want to realize together the Museum’s desire to be a different kind of natural history museum. The architectural design of the new museum will support a reorganization of the Museum’s extraordinarily rich collection in a conceptual way so that exhibitions can draw from cultural and natural sciences simultaneously and create a dynamic learning experience for visitors."
Steven Holl

The new Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will be the architectural and cultural cornerstone of historic Exposition Park; the 160-acre public recreation area located just south of Downtown. The Park is also the home of the California Science Center, the California African-American Museum, the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Exposition Park Intergenerational Center, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the 15-acre Rose Garden. The Park borders the campus of the University of Southern California on its northern edge and is surrounded on the other three sides by diverse residential communities.

Photo courtesy Natural History Museum
Duelling Dinos in the park

A Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Exposition Park was created in 1992 by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership. During the past 10 years more than $450 million has been committed to fund various projects that contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the area. Projects include the recently reopened Frank Gehry designed Air and Space Gallery of the California Science Center and architect Thom Mayne’s conversion of the Exposition Park Armory into a K-5 elementary school and center for science learning for the LAUSD and California Science Center.

Completion of the Master Plan for the new $200-million to $300-million Museum is projected for 2003, with the unveiling of the schematic design slated for 2004. Groundbreaking will begin in 2006, with a projected first-phase completion date of 2009.
A Los Angeles based Executive Architect will be selected over the next several months and an exhibition designer will be announced shortly thereafter.

An exhibition of watercolors and architectural models, "Idea and Phenomena. Steven Holl", at Architekturzentrum Wien until August 5th., visualizes Holl's complex conceptional designing process.

"The connection of idea and phenomena happens when the building is built."
Steven Holl

Sketch courtesy Steven Holl Architects
Knut Hamsun Museum, Hamarøy, Norway
Design Development phase

arcspace "The Architect's Studio"
Steven Holl. Sketches & Models
Steven Holl Book "Parallax"
About Steven Holl Architects

Website: Steven Holl Architects

July 8, 2002

Steven Holl arcspace features





				Features
		Competition winner Steven Holl Architects Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, California "Steven Holl’s approach to the new museum project demonstrates a respect for the historic integrity of the original building and a deep understanding of the complex programmatic needs of the new space." Jane Pisano President and Director Natural History Museum Photo courtesy Natural History Museum The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County have announced the selection of New York based architect Steven Holl to partner with the Museum on a multi-year, multi-phase project that will combine new construction with portions of its historically significant structures, including the complete restoration and seismic retrofit of the Museum’s original 1913 Beaux Arts inspired building. The final decision was based on Steven Holl’s past work and conceptual ideas. Photo courtesy Natural History Museum "In each project, we seek new ways to integrate an organizing idea with the programmatic and functional essence of a building. Rather than a "style" carried to different sites and climates, or pursued regardless of different programs, we seek the unique character of a program and site, local and global, as the starting point for an architectural idea." Steven Holl Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Completed 1999 Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects Sarphatistraat Offices, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Completed 2000 Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects MIT residence (Simmons Hall) under construction. Scheduled for completion Fall 2002. Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri Under construction Image courtesy Steven Holl Architects In March 2002 Steven Holl won the competition for Cornell's new Architecture Building, Millstein Hall. The renovation and expansion project proposes the reconstruction of the existing 410,000 square foot building, including selective replacement of portions of the structure, renovation of remaining historic portions, and the preservation of the nationally registered original 1913 Museum building. In addition, 80,000 square feet of off-site facilities will be relocated to the Museum’s 14-acre site in Exposition Park. The structural flexibility of the design will enable the Museum to present up-to-the-minute exhibitions that explore today’s critical issues. The Museum and Holl will work together to formulate an approach to the new Natural History Museum, to be fully developed and refined over the next several years, which will creatively integrate the institution’s past with its future. The design will create new exhibition and programming space that takes full advantage of contemporary technologies while also addressing serious seismic issues, and replacing aging and inadequate facilities. "We want to realize together the Museum’s desire to be a different kind of natural history museum. The architectural design of the new museum will support a reorganization of the Museum’s extraordinarily rich collection in a conceptual way so that exhibitions can draw from cultural and natural sciences simultaneously and create a dynamic learning experience for visitors." Steven Holl The new Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will be the architectural and cultural cornerstone of historic Exposition Park; the 160-acre public recreation area located just south of Downtown. The Park is also the home of the California Science Center, the California African-American Museum, the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Exposition Park Intergenerational Center, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the 15-acre Rose Garden. The Park borders the campus of the University of Southern California on its northern edge and is surrounded on the other three sides by diverse residential communities. Photo courtesy Natural History Museum Duelling Dinos in the park A Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Exposition Park was created in 1992 by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership. During the past 10 years more than $450 million has been committed to fund various projects that contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the area. Projects include the recently reopened Frank Gehry designed Air and Space Gallery of the California Science Center and architect Thom Mayne’s conversion of the Exposition Park Armory into a K-5 elementary school and center for science learning for the LAUSD and California Science Center. Completion of the Master Plan for the new $200-million to $300-million Museum is projected for 2003, with the unveiling of the schematic design slated for 2004. Groundbreaking will begin in 2006, with a projected first-phase completion date of 2009. A Los Angeles based Executive Architect will be selected over the next several months and an exhibition designer will be announced shortly thereafter. An exhibition of watercolors and architectural models, "Idea and Phenomena. Steven Holl", at Architekturzentrum Wien until August 5th., visualizes Holl's complex conceptional designing process. "The connection of idea and phenomena happens when the building is built." Steven Holl Sketch courtesy Steven Holl Architects Knut Hamsun Museum, Hamarøy, Norway Design Development phase arcspace "The Architect's Studio" Steven Holl. Sketches & Models Steven Holl Book "Parallax" About Steven Holl Architects Website: Steven Holl Architects July 8, 2002 Steven Holl arcspace features