Man, Motion and Art Come Together at the Petersen Automotive Museum

Conceived as part of the revitalization movement on Museum Row in Los Angeles, the Petersen Automotive Museum is the first in a series of projects that includes the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum directly across the street, a major overhaul of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) a block to the east, and a new subway station next door.

Architect Gene Kohn, under the supervision of Kohn Pederson Fox, is largely responsible for creating the Petersen’s stunning visuals. Commuters driving down Los Angeles’s busiest street are treated to this bright piece of art. As you drive down, the building stands crisply apart from everything else in your visual field; the ribbons reflect the sun throughout the day and lend the venue a certain state-of-the-art vibe that is both contemporary and suggestive of motion.

And at night, it is dramatically lit to provide an entirely different mood. Since the museum’s mission is to collect and preserve historic vehicles, much planning and focus went to acquiring a wide array of significant vehicles varying in shape, size, make, model, and purposs.
It’s really hard to imagine how every piece of the exterior’s “ribbons” were fit to perfection accurately. Putting to life the vision of Architect Gene Kohn into reality was a major feat. Come see this for yourself at 6060 Wilsire Blvd.

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