Pre-Historic Design Goes 21st Century

Los Angeles’ beloved mammoths will not be going extinct, seemingly just like the Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times. The report from Southern California’s venerable masthead notes finalists for the presentation of architectural proposals for a redesign of the La Brea Tar Pits park, museum and research site came down to a trio of international firms, each in their own way a creative powerhouse: Dorte Mandrup, Weiss/Manfredi and Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

According to the L.A. Times’ final selection announcement of the future history-making design team, the job goes to Weiss/Manfredi, the New York-based firm behind the critically acclaimed Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle. Its proposal clarified the park’s many functions, preserved the ’70s-era George C. Page Museum, added a new exhibition wing and expanded the lawn area. And not insignificantly: It kept L.A.’s most famous proboscideans right where they’ve always been.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Chris Egger