ICA LA

Type: Art Museum | Renovation
Size: 7,888 SQ FT
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Year: 2024
Status: Invited Competition

In 2024 the ICA LA, a mid-sized art museum, held an invited competition for the renovation and expansion of it’s galleries, public facing programs and back-of-house spaces. Our design proposal – a surgical renovation – featured a new Southern entry sequence, new cafe, and expanded retail, conference room, office and back of house spaces.

Situated in the Arts District, the heavy industrial context informed a material palette that reflects the area’s origins, incorporating brick, steel, and glass. JMDS drew inspiration from iconic designs like Pierre Chareau’s Maison De Verre. While influenced by this industrial backdrop, JMDS sought to diverge from the site’s rectilinear lines by introducing curves that promote flow and create a softer entry sequence, enhanced by lush planting and vibrant pops of color that embrace the ICA LA’s iconic yellow and black logo colors.

JMDS adopted two approaches:

The first, The Drum scheme  involved breaking the existing roofline, allowing for the creation of a true second story and expanding the back-of-house and administrative areas of the museum. This included a program reorganization, relocating the conference room to the second floor, prioritizing public use on the first floor, effectively separating private and public spaces. This raised the question of how the new roofline, visible from the main thoroughfare of 7th Street, could become an iconic feature in its own right.

A new, expanded office and kitchen occupies the new second story.

Inside the concrete drum lives a large conference area.

Common elements to both schemes were the new Reception area at the North Entrance, as well as the new cafe space to the South, bounding the entry courtyard.

Beyond the Cafe, the second approach – The Arc Scheme – worked within the existing roofline and mezzanine floor height, which restricted the upper level’s floor area and encouraged a more innovative strategy for maximizing space and its usage.

JMDS integrated a design strategy that incorporated layering and porosity, establishing dynamic site lines and effectively controlling views throughout the space.

Harnessing daylight in relation to the material selection was a central approach, ensuring that natural light enhances and flows throughout the space.

Flexibility is emphasized through custom furniture pieces, reinforcing the concept of layering, featuring raised platforms for planted areas, seating and performative spaces, all equipped with industrial-grade rubber wheels for an effortless re-configuration.

This strategy proposes large doors that can open or close off spaces, serving dual functions as display areas; when closed they create a private conference room on one side and a display space on the other, effectively distinguishing public and private areas. When open, the area is transformed into a spacious gallery for openings and special events while the custom furniture is brought in and allows for an easy reconfiguration to create performance stages, audience seating.

Team

Architecture: JMDS
Interior Design: JMDS
Furniture Design: JMDS