The California Science Center—a hands-on science center in Los Angeles—recently broke ground on its Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. At 200,000 square feet and 20 stories high, the Air and Space Center will almost double the California Science Center’s educational exhibit areas.
The new addition to the Science Center will contain 150 interactive, educational exhibits in three multilevel galleries. The hands-on exhibits will be designed to encourage visitors to investigate scientific and engineering principles of atmospheric flight and the exploration of the universe. The Air and Space Center’s collection of aircraft and spacecraft will be selected to illustrate a key concept on each of its three multilevel galleries—air, space, and shuttle—across four floors and 100,000 square feet of exhibit space.
The Air and Space Center also will become the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour, one of three remaining flown space shuttle orbiters. Endeavour will be presented in a “ready-to-launch” vertical configuration that will include solid rocket boosters and an external tank—the world’s only display of an authentic space shuttle system, according to the Science Center. The June 1 groundbreaking event coincided with the 11th anniversary of Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final touchdown.
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center marks the third phase of the California Science Center’s three-phase, three-decade master plan to develop one of the world’s leading science learning centers. Now underway, construction is expected to last three years. At about a year and a half into construction, Space Shuttle Endeavour will be positioned in the Air and Space Center. Architectural design is by ZGF, construction by MATT Construction, and exhibit design by Evidence Design.
On the project team:
Owner and developer: California Science Center Foundation
Design architect and architect of record: ZGF
MEP engineer and structural engineer: Arup
General contractor/construction manager: MATT Construction
Related Stories
| Apr 23, 2013
Architects to MoMA: Don't destroy Williams/Tsien project
Richard Meier, Thom Mayne, Steven Holl, Hugh Hardy and Robert A.M. Stern are among the prominent architects who on Monday called for the Museum of Modern Art to reconsider its decision to demolish the former home of the American Folk Art Museum.
| Apr 17, 2013
First look: Renzo Piano's glass-domed motion pictures museum
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week released preliminary plans for its $300 million Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum in Los Angeles, designed by Renzo Piano and local architect Zoltan Pali.
| Apr 11, 2013
American Folk Art Museum, opened in 2001, to be demolished
Just 12 years old, the museum designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will be taken down to make way for MoMA expansion.
| Apr 2, 2013
6 lobby design tips
If you do hotels, schools, student unions, office buildings, performing arts centers, transportation facilities, or any structure with a lobby, here are six principles from healthcare lobby design that make for happier users—and more satisfied owners.
| Mar 22, 2013
8 cool cultural projects in the works
A soaring opera center in Hong Kong and a multi-tower music center in Calgary are among the latest cultural projects.
| Mar 15, 2013
AIA opposes House bill cutting Eisenhower Memorial funding
AIA opposes House bill cutting Eisenhower Memorial funding.
| Mar 3, 2013
World's first LEGO museum planned in Denmark
Bjarke Ingels Group and Ralph Appelbaum Associates will team up with the LEGO Group to design the physical home for The LEGO House, the world's first museum dedicated to LEGO.
| Feb 25, 2013
10 U.S. cities with the best urban forests
Charlotte, Denver, and Milwaukee are among 10 U.S. cities ranked recently by the conservation organization American Forests for having quality urban forest programs.
| Feb 14, 2013
Brasfield & Gorrie breaks ground on New College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta
General contractor Brasfield & Gorrie is scheduled to kick off construction on the new College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta. With an anticipated completion date of fall 2014, the $66.5 million project will continue the revitalization of the city’s tourist district.
| Feb 8, 2013
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s new wing voted Boston’s 'most beautiful new building'
Bostonians voted the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's new wing the People's Choice Award winner for 2012, honoring the project as the city's "most beautiful new building" for the calendar year. The new wing, designed by Renzo Piano and Stantec, beat out three other projects on the short list.