Eli Broad, a powerful force in the Los Angeles art world, today unveils the design for a $130 million building that will house his personal contemporary art collection. Broad hopes it will help be part of a revitalization of downtown L.A.
The Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne says there is "much to admire" about the new building, designed by architects Diller, Scofidio + Renfro. Hawthorne seems to have exerted some influence himself on the architecture as well:
"The unveiling of the design will also bring with it some encouraging news about the relationship between the building and the public realm. Broad is expected to announce Thursday that he is nearing an agreement with the Community Redevelopment Agency, developer Related Cos. and city officials to build a new public plaza wrapping the southern and western sides of the museum and to widen the sidewalks on both sides of Grand between 2nd and 4th streets. Those changes - just the sort I have pressed Broad to pursue, given the civic importance of the site - could help the museum avoid becoming another of Bunker Hill's aloof, self-contained architectural landmarks."
FULL STORY: Critic's notebook: Broad museum design pointed in the right direction
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