The Petersen Automotive Museum is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the history of the automobile and its impact on American life and culture. The design of the new structure calls for an interactive museum that engages with the site and visitor to create an active and dynamic display for the historic machines.
With half of the total program dedicated to visitor parking, the building takes advantage of the constant flux of cars as a form of exhibition. The ground floor is raised and sloped to transition the parking lot surface from a flat plane to a gradual field condition of rolling hills of cars. This surface is inset with a hollow core looking down on the basement Vault level. Visitors park their vehicles along the perimeter of the site and look down into the museum below.
When entering the Petersen Museum, visitors are lead along a pathway of catwalks elevated above the 300 car vault. The walkways allow visitors to catch a glimpse of the more rare and unique automobiles kept in the Vault, enticing them to explore the optional area. The undulating blocky ceiling also provides vantage points to view into and out of the galleries.
The galleries are contained in the raised structures overhead which cap the vault, and allow uninterrupted views through the site. To enter the galleries, the main stairway cuts directly into the floor of the box above and switchbacks, transitioning from the street grid to a cardinal grid.
The organization of the galleries provides moments of overlap or fissure which dictate the circulation through the spaces. Each large gallery is separated by a smaller block containing areas of respite and rotating art displays. The galleries utilize the structure of the building to guide navigation, support upper levels, and layer the space from the channel glass wall to the exhibition area. The spaces are also composed to create a sense of momentum to what would normally be a very active vehicle.