【ANN NEWS, LOS ANGELES】 The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong and his firm MAD Architects, will officially open in Los Angeles on September 22. Founded by renowned Hollywood filmmaker and “father of Star Wars” George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the major museum is one of Los Angeles’ most closely watched new cultural landmarks in recent years. Ma has also become the first Chinese architect to lead the design of a world-class cultural landmark in the West.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is located in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park, with approximately 300,000 square feet (about 28,000 square meters) of space and a collection of more than 40,000 works. George Lucas’ creation of Star Wars transformed the modern Western film industry and created an imaginary world that has influenced generations. Now, he has turned decades of collecting and his passion for “storytelling” into a museum dedicated to art, film and imagination.
And Lucas chose a Chinese architect to bring that dream to life.
In 2014, Ma Yansong won the design competition over architects including Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas. Ma did not design it as a traditional museum. The enormous white structure appears to float above trees and parkland, with its flowing form evoking clouds, mountains and tree canopies, while also resembling a spacecraft from the future. The building is integrated with 11 acres of parkland, rooftop gardens and public spaces, with the aim of allowing people to reconnect with nature, freedom and emotion within the city.
Ma’s architecture often draws inspiration from clouds, water, mountains and nature, seeking to create spaces that are freer and capable of forming a stronger emotional connection with ordinary people. In a media interview, he said: “Architecture should not simply be a rational and functional box. It should be able to grow like nature and possess emotion and imagination. I am honored to bring this way of thinking from the East to Los Angeles, and I hope it can open up another possibility.”
In recent years, Ma Yansong and MAD Architects have completed a number of influential architectural projects in China and around the world, including Shenzhen Bay Culture Park in China, Harbin Opera House, Quzhou Sports Park in Zhejiang and the Fenix Museum in the Netherlands, while also participating in the design of public cultural facilities in the United States, Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Characterized by flowing forms and imagery inspired by nature, these works continue to explore the integration of architecture with cities and the natural environment, while bringing greater international attention to the concept of “architecture and emotion.”
Ma Yansong’s collaboration with George Lucas has lasted for more than a decade. They come from entirely different cultures and fields, but share one belief: that imagination can change reality. Lucas used film to create Star Wars — a world that had never existed before — while Ma has continually sought to use architecture to open up new realms of imagination.
U.S. media have paid significant attention to the building. Architectural Digest described it as “an instant landmark” for Los Angeles and said “the city, even the world, has never seen a building like this.” The Los Angeles Times said the building was inspired by Los Angeles’ clouds, hills and natural forms and appears to float above an urban park.
In 2025, Ma Yansong was named to TIME magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Lucas said Ma’s designs “continue to surprise and inspire me,” adding that he is at the forefront of a transformation that will influence architecture for generations to come. Lucas said: “I believe people will come here not only for the collection, but also for the building — it is a work of art in itself.”
The completion of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art marks the first time a Chinese architect has made a major contribution to the world of global cultural landmarks through an independent cultural perspective and design vision. After it opens on September 22, the building will become a new cultural landmark in Los Angeles.
