LAX Gateway

The LAX Gateway Improvements Project reimagines one of Los Angeles’ most iconic civic landmarks — a composition of the Airport Traffic Control Tower, the fifteen illuminated light pylons, and the monumental “LAX” sign that together define the city’s primary gateway. Originally installed in 2000 and refurbished in 2010, the gateway enhancements have become enduring symbols of Los Angeles’ creative spirit and cultural diversity. With upcoming roadway realignments under the Airfield and Terminal Modernization Program, the project will reuse, repurpose, and reinterpret these gateway elements, preserving their landmark status while redefining the arrival and departure experience for the 21st-century traveler.

The design celebrates both heritage and innovation. The historic 1961 Airport Traffic Control Tower is reimagined as a central landmark within the gateway ensemble—its vertical form transformed into a media tower with a programmable digital façade that honors its mid-century modern character while serving as a dynamic platform for public art and cultural expression. Fifteen new “wing-form” light pylons, organized in sculptural groupings, evoke the aerodynamics of flight and the fluid geometry of the reconfigured roadways, animated by LED light sequences choreographed with the tower. The relocated “LAX” monument sign anchors the composition, completing a cohesive and future-forward gateway—an illuminated expression of Los Angeles’ identity as a global crossroads of art, architecture, and innovation.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Location: Los Angeles, CA
Owner: Los Angeles World Airports

TEAM MEMBERS

Paul Murdoch
Milena Murdoch
Albert Orozco
Sean McCarty

PRESS

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