Why Zumthor's New Design For LACMA Makes It Even More Of A Terrorist Target

While Swiss architect Peter Zumthor has changed – and improved - his proposed plan to rebuild LACMA, his new plan also makes LACMA an ever greater target for terrorist groups.  This is particularly true of terrorist groups such as ISIS whose goal is to destroy every culture other than their own version of Islam.    

And to demonstrate they are serious, they have attacked – and destroyed – major cultural monuments in every country they have targeted.   And right after they attacked a major art & cultural museum in Tunisia, they announced they are going to destroy the Louvre when they attack Paris.

So why is LACMA still considering building the most comprehensive art and cultural institution in Los Angeles directly over a six lane road?   

A busy road where any terrorist group – or  single individual -  can drive a car – or  track – packed with military grade explosive devices – and set it off directly under the building - demolishing - and collapsing - the building and the people and the art in it.  

But now Zumthor’s new plan appears to place even more of the museum over the road and it will also provide windows so the people and the art in the museum will be visible to anyone driving on Wilshire.  But that's just part of the problem.   Even the majority of the building that is not over Wilshire will be up on stilts and it will also be just as  unnecessarily vulnerable to attack by explosive devices.  

But no one seems to want to discuss this very real danger.

Twice before (here and, here) I've brought this up – but so far – no one at LACMA or LA County has addressed how they plan to handle the unique - and pootentially catastrophic - danger this design - and only this design -  will create for Los Angeles's greatest museum.