Michael Maltzan Architects UCLA Hammer Museum

Michael Maltzan Architects
UCLA Hammer Museum
Los Angeles, California

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The Courtyard entrance

Located at a prominent urban crossroads, the UCLA Hammer Museum can be seen both as a real and metaphorical bridge between the City of Los Angeles and the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles.
The proposed renovation and addition to the existing Museum, a three-story structure, clad in alternating bands of gray and white marble, designed by Edward Larabee Barnes, will provide the Museum with an opportunity for greater visibility and identity within the art and cultural community at large.

Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The UCLA Hammer Museum (2000)

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The new Linbrook Entrance

"Think of it as guerrilla architecture. Its subtle forms and coded visual imagery thread their way through the existing building, creating a palpable tension between new and old".
Nicolai Ouroussoff
Times Architecture Critic

A unique design collaboration between architecture, graphic, landscape, and lighting design has been developed to respond to the challenges of creating a greater sense of identity and connectivity for the museum, and the results of this collaboration weave through the entire institution at many levels and scales of engagement.

The new design begins by creating a clearer presence for the Museum on both Wilshire Boulevard, a major commercial corridor that traverses the City of Los Angeles, and at Westwood Village and the UCLA campus.
Designed as the new main facade and entry to the Museum, the Lindbrook Entry will become the Museumâs "front door". Facing the University Campus and the pedestrian community of Westwood Village, the new entry will connect the Museumâs Courtyard and the public sidewalk with a large sloping ramp.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The Theater Lobby

The Theater box office, as well as the restaurant are immediately accessible from the street. New glowing translucent exterior signage armatures at the corners of the Museum and within the Wilshire Lobby signal the presence of the Museum and are capable of changing periodically in response to the Hammerâs exhibition schedule and programs.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The Grand Stair

At the core of the new design is the transformation and development of the existing interior Courtyards. Located at the center of the Museum, the transformation of the existing Courtyards will invigorate the Museum by creating a dynamic center of activity.
The new organization of adjacent spaces will provide direct interaction as well as communicating views to and from the Courtyard areas.
In a new courtyard, designed by Petra Blaisse, a landscape of tall eucalyptus trees and a reflecting pool on a gently sloping wood floor will replace the former cold granite courtyard.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The North Courtyard

The Courtyards will be surrounded by new visitor amenities and program spaces on the lower level. The upper level will provide additional exhibition spaces while maintaining views into the Courtyard below, and the lower level will be programmed as an admissions-free outdoor room providing an intimate and active center for the cultural and neighboring community.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
The Great Hall

The Courtyard, Restaurant, Auditorium Lobby, and Great Hall reception area will all be visible from the street through large expanses of glass. This connection with the "heart" of the Museum will give the Hammer a greater presence in the community and invite visitors into the Museum.
Entry from Wilshire Boulevard and the underground parking garage will be linked to the courtyards by a succession of patterned backlit facades which provide luminous direction for patrons. This procession moves through the "Wall Drawings" Gallery on the way up to the courtyard.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan

The centerpiece of the courtyard, the Main Gallery Stair and Bridge provide the primary iconographic element of the Museum as well as a new and more direct connection between the museum patron and the art. The Stair and Bridge provide a centralized point of connection between the Museumâs multiple entries and the upper level Galleries. Sculpted in highly reflective white metal panels, the Stair and Bridge are experienced from multiple viewpoints and change as the visitor moves up, under, through, and over them. In this way, the Stair and Bridge become the main reference point of movement within the Museum.

Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan
Admission

Upper promenades of the courtyard will be substantially enclosed to provide two new Drawings Galleries, a Contemporary Projects Gallery, expansive Reception and Lecture Hall, and an intimate Changing Exhibits Gallery. With new glass-enclosed climate-controlled promenades, gallery spaces can be opened, creating a more immediate sense of physical and visual connection to the Art.

Photo: Kirsten Kiser
The Model with the Lindbrook Entry

Beginning at the lowest parking level through an entry with the Museumâs logo set in a long illuminated wall, designed by Mau, the Procession of Light provides an iconographic illuminated procession by means of a combination of backlit translucent signs and patterned lighting elements that lead the visitor into the Museum through the Courtyard and to the Admissions Desk. Along this Procession of Light, the visitor gathers information about the Museum and its Exhibitions through illuminated program walls of various scales.

Sketch courtesy Michael Maltzan

Project: UCLA Hammer Museum
Client: The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center, Inc.

Architect: Michael Maltzan Architects, Inc.
Graphic Design: Bruce Mau
Landscape architect: Petra Blaisse
Total Area: 83,200 square feet
Construction Start: February 2002
Completion: February 2003

The UCLA Hammer Museum renovation/expansion will provide 28,000 square feet of new program space to include: 3,650 square feet of new exhibition space, a 2,660 square foot reception and lecture hall, a 1,000 square foot multipurpose classroom, a 296-seat film and performance theater, a 100-seat restaurant/cafŽ/bar. The renovation will also include an expanded bookstore, administrative area, art storage, and museum and performance support spaces.

July 7, 2001

Michael Maltzan arcspace features





				Features
		Michael Maltzan Architects UCLA Hammer Museum Los Angeles, California Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The Courtyard entrance Located at a prominent urban crossroads, the UCLA Hammer Museum can be seen both as a real and metaphorical bridge between the City of Los Angeles and the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles. The proposed renovation and addition to the existing Museum, a three-story structure, clad in alternating bands of gray and white marble, designed by Edward Larabee Barnes, will provide the Museum with an opportunity for greater visibility and identity within the art and cultural community at large. Photo: Kirsten Kiser The UCLA Hammer Museum (2000) Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The new Linbrook Entrance "Think of it as guerrilla architecture. Its subtle forms and coded visual imagery thread their way through the existing building, creating a palpable tension between new and old". Nicolai Ouroussoff Times Architecture Critic A unique design collaboration between architecture, graphic, landscape, and lighting design has been developed to respond to the challenges of creating a greater sense of identity and connectivity for the museum, and the results of this collaboration weave through the entire institution at many levels and scales of engagement. The new design begins by creating a clearer presence for the Museum on both Wilshire Boulevard, a major commercial corridor that traverses the City of Los Angeles, and at Westwood Village and the UCLA campus. Designed as the new main facade and entry to the Museum, the Lindbrook Entry will become the Museumâs "front door". Facing the University Campus and the pedestrian community of Westwood Village, the new entry will connect the Museumâs Courtyard and the public sidewalk with a large sloping ramp. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The Theater Lobby The Theater box office, as well as the restaurant are immediately accessible from the street. New glowing translucent exterior signage armatures at the corners of the Museum and within the Wilshire Lobby signal the presence of the Museum and are capable of changing periodically in response to the Hammerâs exhibition schedule and programs. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The Grand Stair At the core of the new design is the transformation and development of the existing interior Courtyards. Located at the center of the Museum, the transformation of the existing Courtyards will invigorate the Museum by creating a dynamic center of activity. The new organization of adjacent spaces will provide direct interaction as well as communicating views to and from the Courtyard areas. In a new courtyard, designed by Petra Blaisse, a landscape of tall eucalyptus trees and a reflecting pool on a gently sloping wood floor will replace the former cold granite courtyard. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The North Courtyard The Courtyards will be surrounded by new visitor amenities and program spaces on the lower level. The upper level will provide additional exhibition spaces while maintaining views into the Courtyard below, and the lower level will be programmed as an admissions-free outdoor room providing an intimate and active center for the cultural and neighboring community. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The Great Hall The Courtyard, Restaurant, Auditorium Lobby, and Great Hall reception area will all be visible from the street through large expanses of glass. This connection with the "heart" of the Museum will give the Hammer a greater presence in the community and invite visitors into the Museum. Entry from Wilshire Boulevard and the underground parking garage will be linked to the courtyards by a succession of patterned backlit facades which provide luminous direction for patrons. This procession moves through the "Wall Drawings" Gallery on the way up to the courtyard. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan The centerpiece of the courtyard, the Main Gallery Stair and Bridge provide the primary iconographic element of the Museum as well as a new and more direct connection between the museum patron and the art. The Stair and Bridge provide a centralized point of connection between the Museumâs multiple entries and the upper level Galleries. Sculpted in highly reflective white metal panels, the Stair and Bridge are experienced from multiple viewpoints and change as the visitor moves up, under, through, and over them. In this way, the Stair and Bridge become the main reference point of movement within the Museum. Digital image courtesy Michael Maltzan Admission Upper promenades of the courtyard will be substantially enclosed to provide two new Drawings Galleries, a Contemporary Projects Gallery, expansive Reception and Lecture Hall, and an intimate Changing Exhibits Gallery. With new glass-enclosed climate-controlled promenades, gallery spaces can be opened, creating a more immediate sense of physical and visual connection to the Art. Photo: Kirsten Kiser The Model with the Lindbrook Entry Beginning at the lowest parking level through an entry with the Museumâs logo set in a long illuminated wall, designed by Mau, the Procession of Light provides an iconographic illuminated procession by means of a combination of backlit translucent signs and patterned lighting elements that lead the visitor into the Museum through the Courtyard and to the Admissions Desk. Along this Procession of Light, the visitor gathers information about the Museum and its Exhibitions through illuminated program walls of various scales. Sketch courtesy Michael Maltzan Project: UCLA Hammer Museum Client: The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center, Inc. Architect: Michael Maltzan Architects, Inc. Graphic Design: Bruce Mau Landscape architect: Petra Blaisse Total Area: 83,200 square feet Construction Start: February 2002 Completion: February 2003 The UCLA Hammer Museum renovation/expansion will provide 28,000 square feet of new program space to include: 3,650 square feet of new exhibition space, a 2,660 square foot reception and lecture hall, a 1,000 square foot multipurpose classroom, a 296-seat film and performance theater, a 100-seat restaurant/cafŽ/bar. The renovation will also include an expanded bookstore, administrative area, art storage, and museum and performance support spaces. July 7, 2001 Michael Maltzan arcspace features