Three different architectural teams have been selected to reimagine the La Brea Tar Pits – and they want you to help vote the fate of its future!
The iconic paleontological wonder that sits right in the center of our city could be receiving a major makeover in the near future, changing its look entirely. Three master plans we’re unveiled this week and the institution is turning to their friendly neighbors (YOU) for advice on which one looks the best!
Don’t worry – no changes will be made to the still-bubbling tar pits themselves, but according to these renderings, the redesign may involve some major modifications. If like the many, the La Brea Tar Pits holds a special place in your heart, take some time after this article to fill out a survey that will help the organization make a final decision, here! Voting will remain open through September 15.
Take a look at a few of the options!
1. Weiss/Manfredi (New York)
“The La Brea Loops and Lenses redefines Hancock Park and the Page Museum as one continuous experience. As flexible armatures, loops and lenses connect and reveal, forming an open-ended journey that tells the story of La Brea Tar Pits and Museum: the continuum from prehistoric time to our contemporary moment. The museum treasures will be revealed to visitors, bringing the museum to the park, and the park into the public imagination.”
2. Dorte Mandrup (Copenhagen)
“We want to transform Hancock Park and the Page Museum to convey the living laboratory that this place truly is. A visit here should be a journey of curiosity, where senses and imagination are awakened. We have interwoven the park and museum, so the moment you enter the park you become immersed into the story of the Tar Pits, and instantly your understanding of the past, present and future of our planet starts growing.”
3. Diller Scofidio + Renfro (New York)
“As an urbanized culture, we are rarely conscious of the geological forces that shape the ground we walk (or drive) on. Rethinking the La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum offers a unique opportunity to heighten our collective awareness of the natural history held underfoot. The proposed masterplan treats the entire site as a perpetual research project to be shared with the public both indoors and outdoors, reconfiguring what is already there to create a more symbiotic relationship between the museum, park and city.”
