Los Angeles, CA — The centerpiece of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) ongoing campus transformation — the David Geffen Galleries — has been featured in Engineering News-Record (ENR) West, highlighting the extraordinary engineering innovation and collaborative effort behind this landmark cultural project.
In an article titled “Complexity Under a Veil of Simplicity,” ENR West explores how the project team — led by Atelier Peter Zumthor as design architect and SOM as collaborating architect and structural engineer — achieved a minimalist aesthetic that conceals immense technical sophistication beneath the surface.
Engineering Excellence Across 900 Feet of Innovation
Spanning 900 feet across a complex urban site and extending over Wilshire Boulevard, the David Geffen Galleries rest on ten concrete cores, balancing architectural ambition with seismic safety in one of the world’s most active fault zones.
To meet these seismic demands, the engineering team implemented 56 friction pendulum base isolators, some weighing up to 40,000 pounds, enabling the building to move up to five feet in any direction during an earthquake. Supporting the expansive, column-free galleries are 1,500 foundation piles, 360 miles of internal post-tensioning cable, and precisely calibrated concrete cantilevers that provide curatorial flexibility.
“These are some of the biggest isolators we’ve ever done,” said Eric Long, Partner at SOM. “It was like tuning a giant guitar — every cable had to have the right profile and drape so that when we pulled the tension, it provided the support to the floor.”
Collaboration Behind the Complexity
ENR West also highlights the extensive coordination among the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) team — including Clark Construction, Largo Concrete, and Pacific Steel Group — which was essential to executing the project’s demanding schedule and intricate sequencing.
Daily planning sessions, major resequencing efforts, and close collaboration with the LA Metro Purple Line project ensured precision across overlapping construction zones. The result is a museum that achieves both architectural clarity and engineering sophistication, redefining what is possible for urban cultural infrastructure.
A New Cultural Landmark for Los Angeles
The David Geffen Galleries will open to the public during a celebratory weekend from June 26–28, featuring performances led by acclaimed musician Kamasi Washington to inaugurate the space.
The project stands as a testament to Los Angeles’ commitment to art, innovation, and resilience, transforming one of the city’s most prominent cultural institutions into a new architectural icon.
