The Museum of the Holocaust in Los Angeles (LAMOTH) opened to the public in the fall of 2010. The structure, designed by Belzberg Architects of Santa Monica, is built partially underground and covers an area of 32.000sqf. Situated in Pan Pacific Park, it is adjacent to the existing Holocaust Museum built in 1961, and opposite the Holocaust Monument.
Entrance to the museum is via a ramp which descends steeply and takes us into the underground area where sobriety is mirrored in both the design of the building and the content of the exhibits. The interior of the museum consists of raw concrete walls and low ceilings again suggesting a feeling of discomfort. Faint streams of natural light enter the building at intervals through apertures, aiding energy efficiency considerations to the design.
A priority during the design of the structure was that it would be assimilated into the existing landscape unobtrusively. The result is an emotionally powerful structure as befits the subject of the museum. The undulating shape of the green roof and concrete paths are in perfect synchrony with the topography of the park.
