Both primitive and futuristic – The Star Wars director’s Lucas Museum resembles a luxury space station

▲ “Chicago” was chosen as the city to host the Star Wars director’s museum (Image /Lucas Museum of Narrative Art fan page)

By Rita

No, what you’re seeing right now isn’t from a sci-fi movie set. This “futuristic” building that looks a bit like a luxury space station comes with a price tag of $300 million and is set to be built on the shores of Chicago. It’s the museum of Star Wars director George Lucas. Scheduled to open in 2018.

Chinese architect Ma Yansong unveiled the conceptual design for George Lucas’ private museum in Chicago on the 3rd. According toCNNreports, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art tells stories through “images,” spanning comics, children’s books, digital art, and film. The permanent exhibition will feature Lucas’ personal collection, valued at approximately $600 million, including paintings by Norman Rockwell, pin-up posters by illustration master Alberto Vargas, and of course, props from “Star Wars.”

The architectural renderings were jointly released by MAD Architects (headquartered in Beijing) and the Chicago-based Studio Gang. The design bears some resemblance to scenes from “Star Wars.” The main concept was proposed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong, whose previous well-known works include the curvy “Marilyn Monroe Towers.” Taking into account that the nearby harbor is a key feature of Chicago, he chose to represent it with a “floating disc.”

▲ The Lucas Museum architectural renderings are full of “futuristic” flair (Image /Lucas Museum of Narrative Art fan page)

The avant-garde structure includes three floors of exhibition space, with observation decks offering views of Chicago and Lake Michigan. “It uses a large amount of stone to convey both a primitive and futuristic feel. It has gone beyond being just a building and has become a way for the city and society to interact, bringing people closer to each other and to nature,” said MAD Architects.