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Getty Center

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Getty Center

All photographs taken by Kenneth A. Larson. All rights reserved. © 2004 - 2012.

The Getty Center is the only art museum where I look at the building and gardens more than the art, and the art is world class too.

When J. Paul Getty died, he left an endowment to the Getty Foundation that instantly made the foundation the best funded museum in the world. The Getty had operated the Getty Villa, an art museum in Malibu, for many years, but the collection was outgrowing the facility. The Getty Center was the answer to both problems, spending all that money on a large new museum.

The J. Paul Getty Trust purchased approximately 750 acres of hill top land in the Santa Monica Mountains in 1983. More than a decade later, Architect Richard Meier transformed this undeveloped hilltop into a world class art museum. Along the way, over one hundred site conditions had to be met to meet the needs of the surrounding homeowners. Meier used his trademark white, but tried many variations of "white" before satisfying the community. This white was used in both Italian travertine and painted aluminum. Another project condition was no net loss or gain of earth. Two hill tops were shaved down and the material used to fill in a small valley between to create a large tarraced space.

The building as a sculptue in itself. Most surfaces are covered with tiles of stone, metal, or glass in a 30 inch grid. This grid is sometimes carried through to twice size, half size, and quarter size tiles. The grid aligns throughout the entire facility. Circles and arcs interplay with all the straight lines. The travertine are quarried and cut in Tivoli, Italy and shipped (100 trips) by sea to Los Angeles.

The entrance to the parking lot is below and access to the museum is by way of a 3/4 miles tramway.

The garden is almost as impressive as the building. Designed by artist Robert Irwin, the Central Garden lies below the main plaza level. Other gardens are by landscape architect Laurie Olin in collaboration with Meier.

As for the museum, I leave that to you.
Museum Entrance Hall
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Museum Entry Museum Entry
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Museum Entry
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Museum Entry
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Entry at Sunset
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This page last updated: Thursday, 10-Nov-2011 01:34:51 EST

Note: This is not the official site for any of the places shown in Places Earth. Places Earth is not responsible for accuracy of the information. Hours of operations, prices, exhibits, and sometimes locations are subject to change without notice.

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This web site started because of my love for Architecture and interest in History. This web site is for your benefit and I make no profit on it. I don't allow paid advertising. This site is supported primarily from my regular paycheck as a Set Designer and there haven' been many this year. I sell art at www.klimages.com. A non-tax deductable donation to help cover the cost of operating this web site may be made to Kesign Design Consulting through PayPal ...
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