Mingei International Museum

The Collaborative level @ Mingei International Museum brings all musuem staff together to interact in meaningful and creative ways. Tunable white lighting systems keep the mostly subterranean space light and active. Locating the new public theater and canyon amphitheater here activates the work level with community events and fresh air spaces to enjoy day to evening. Spaces morph from workspace to performance space depending on the event schedule and time of day. This is a highly active and inspired place, where art of the curation of art merge with community.

On this level, collaboration is encouraged throughout. Open workspaces, glass walled curatorial spaces and multiple places to meet create a sense of teamwork that has developed as a critical way to push forward the initiatives of the new museum. The 1960 Deter Rams Vitsoe shelving system is used throughout in numerous ways, speaking to flexibility and the value of timeless and good design. Tunable white daylighting makes these subterranean spaces feel light and inspired. Finishes are simple and loft-like on this creative floor; speaking to simplicity and humble roots.

The theater space was funded by a single donor who believes deeply in sharing arts of all forms with the community. After working with the Landmarks staff to determine appropriate scale, materials and aesthetic, the architects designed a cube made of cast in place concrete (evident on the Balboa Park bridge of 1915). The space is multi-purpose and after 2 years of use, has shown how flexible it truly can be. Glass partitions open to the stepped amphitheater for indoor-outdoor seating. Passers by with their strollers, dogs, bicycles and families stop to watch performances. This is exactly the intent of OPENING the museum to the Park. The upper fence flow downward to connect to this space and a commissioned curtain adds color, vibrancy and acoustics to the cube.