California Construction News staff writer
Construction has reached a major milestone on the expansion of The Broad in downtown Los Angeles, with project builder MATT Construction holding a topping out ceremony marking the placement of the final steel beam.
One year after breaking ground, steelworkers Kristian Garcia and Brett Temple installed the last beam approximately 90 feet above Hope Street, signalling the completion of the structural steel phase for the museum’s new addition.
The expansion, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, will increase gallery space at The Broad by 70 per cent and significantly expand live programming and visitor access when the project opens in 2028, ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Museum officials say the project is intended to deepen public engagement with The Broad’s contemporary art collection while strengthening the institution’s connection to downtown Los Angeles.
Located on Hope Street adjacent to the existing museum, the expansion will provide new galleries and programming areas dedicated to artists represented in the collection, including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons and Kara Walker, alongside recently acquired works by artists such as Cauleen Smith, Lauren Halsey and Patrick Martinez.
Plans also include outdoor courtyards on the upper levels and flexible spaces for performances, concerts and other live events.
The addition revisits the “veil and vault” architectural concept introduced with the original museum building, which opened in 2015. The original structure features a white honeycomb-like exterior, or “veil,” surrounding a sculptural grey “vault” housing art storage.
For the expansion, DS+R designed an exterior that resembles the exposed vault itself, symbolically reflecting the museum’s emphasis on public access to its collection.
Inside, visitors will have access to gallery spaces on the first three floors, including second-floor areas where artworks stored on visible racks will create a hybrid gallery and storage environment, allowing the public to move among pieces typically kept behind the scenes.
