New movie museum has two architects

| June 28, 2012 | 0 Comments
LACMA at old May Co

MAY COMPANY, left opened in 1939, is now home to LACMA West.

Two architects will design the new movie museum set to open in the historic May Company building known as LACMA West.

Renzo Piano and Zoltan Pali will join forces to create the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

“Renzo’s track record of creating iconic cultural landmarks combined with Zoltan’s success in transforming historically significant buildings is a perfect marriage for a museum that celebrates the history and the future of the movies,” said Dawn Hudson, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Pritzker Prize-winning Piano designed the recent expansion of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art next door to the May Co.

Piano’s resume also includes the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the headquarters of The New York Times.

“The Academy museum will take the visitor through the back door of cinema, behind the curtain, and into movie-making magic,” Piano said.

Pali, a Los Angeles native, is the design principal and co-founder of Studio Pali Fekete architects (SPF:a). He designed the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and restored the Greek Theatre, the Gibson Amphitheatre, and the Pantages Theatre as well as oversaw the renovation and expansion of the Getty Villa museum.

“It is an honor and privilege to work with the Academy in bringing to life an historic, iconic building that I love with the story of motion pictures,” said Pali.

The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences venture is slated to open in 2015.

The L.A. County Museum of Art owns the building. Opened in 1939, it is a 325,000-square foot Art Moderne landmark located at the corner of Fairfax Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.

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Category: Entertainment

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