A central component of the renovation was the creation of the La Atalaya Foundation Theater, a 1,700-square-foot multipurpose venue adapted from a former loading dock. Designed to accommodate everything from wheel throwing demonstrations to film screenings to dance, the space features a 13-foot ceiling, a pipe grid for production lighting, and mobile seating for 125 patrons.
Mingei International Museum – La Atalaya Foundation Theater
San Diego, CA
“Art of the World, Art of the People” is the guiding mission of Mingei International Museum, which celebrates folk art, craft, and design from cultures around the world and across time.
Reflecting this mission, an ambitious renovation transformed the museum’s historic 1915 Spanish Colonial building into a dynamic, welcoming environment for exhibitions, gathering, and cultural exchange.
A 40-foot glass door along the south wall opens onto an outdoor amphitheatre with stepped audience seating that extends the performance space into Palm Canyon. Inspired by the leaves of the Jacaranda tree, a custom, large-scale curtain entitled Sessions by artist Petra Blaise, serves as both an artistic focal point and a functional element, reinforcing the museum’s mission of celebrating the beauty of handcrafted objects made for everyday use.
Project Details
Service
Architect
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LUCE et studio
