San Francisco

George Lucas Museum Design Concepts Released

Early concepts for the design of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art have been released for two competing locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the exterior of the building in both looks like something straight out of a George Lucas "Star Wars" movie.

A site on Treasure Island already has been approved for development and designated for cultural use. It has received broad support from San Francisco officials, including Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Aaron Peskin.

The spaceship-like design, which captures the essence of Lucas' fame as the creator of the iconic "Star Wars" franchise, was conceived by Chinese architect Ma Yansong, of MAD Architects.

The design calls for about 270,000 square feet of interior space, with about 100,000 square feet devoted to galleries, according to the museum website. The building would be located on the west side of the island, facing the San Francisco skyline and near a proposed ferry terminal.

George Lucas

Lucas, 72, had previously targeted a site near Crissy Field for his museum, but that plan was squashed by the Presidio Trust in 2010.

A proposal to build the museum in Chicago was pulled by Lucas in June after a nonprofit filed a lawsuit to block the project.

The San Francisco deal is competing directly with a proposal in Los Angeles, and Lucas likely will choose the location for the museum early next year, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Treasure Island museum deal would need to be approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Treasure Island Development Authority.

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