ZGF wraps space shuttle in stainless-steel tower for California Science Center
American architecture studio ZGF's building in Los Angeles is complete with a full-size space shuttle "in launch position" wrapped in a stainless steel cylinder.
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center (Air and Space Center), designed by ZGF Architects and built by MATT Construction, took four years to complete.
It is part of the California Science Center and features a 200-foot-tall (61 metres) curvilinear tower, which holds the full-sized space shuttle.
According to the team, the extension has a "unique architectural identity" from the California Science Center, which is clad in a sandy red brick.
The 200,000 square foot (18,580 square metre) expansion is affixed to its side, and will double the exhibition space across the entire complex across four storeys.
While the majority of building construction is completed, the Air and Space Center still needs to be filled with historic artefacts and interactive exhibits, including a fighter jet, ahead of a forthcoming opening date.
The building's centrepiece is the retired NASA spacecraft Space Shuttle Endeavour. Part of NASA's Space Shuttle program, the orbiter was used for missions from 1992 until its 25th and last mission in 2011.
The shuttle now stands upright in the Air and Space Center, wrapped in a 2,000-tonne tower, while the lower portion of the building features two tiers of textured metal, which cantilevers over the entry programme ground.
"At the outset of this project we challenged ourselves to achieve something that has never been done before: to design the only place in the world for the public to see a space shuttle in launch position," said ZGF partner Ted Hyman.
"We are proud to deliver an iconic architecture that translates the California Science Center's moonshot ambition into an approachable experience that feels welcoming, immersive, and engaging to all."
According to the team, installation of the shuttle was a six-month process.
"In early 2024, Space Shuttle Endeavour was lifted into its full stack vertical configuration, mated to real solid rocket boosters and ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified external tank, and installed in its permanent home at the conclusion of a six-month process," said the team.
The expansion's stacked, curvilinear design was also informed by the shuttle's "aerodynamic, fluid geometry".
100 aerospace artefacts across 100 new exhibits will be installed in the Air and Space Center, across three main galleries.
These objects include the Hawker Siddeley Harrier T.4 fighter jet, the Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle and a Solid Rocket Booster segment.
No opening date has been slated for the project as of now.
Los Angeles has seen a number of larger projects nearing completion in the past year, including the curving Los Angeles County Museum of Art expansion by architect Peter Zumthor and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art designed by architecture studio MAD.
Space exploration is top of mind for many people at the moment, with the recent successful moon journey of the spacecraft Artemis II. Dezeen spoke with the architect before the launch.
The photography is by Mike Kelley unless otherwise stated
Project credits:
Architect: ZGF
General contractor: MATT Construction
Engineer: Arup
Steel fabricator: Plas-Tal Manufacturing
Scaffolding and shuttle protection: BrandSafway
Exhibit design: Evidence Design
The post ZGF wraps space shuttle in stainless-steel tower for California Science Center appeared first on Dezeen.
