A curtain inspired by the woman who brought the jacaranda to San Diego.
Overview
An architectural curtain for Mingei International Museum's ambitious renovation. Image © Nic Lehoux and LUCE et Studio.
My Role
Contract Designer
I joined Inside Outside shortly after the studio won this project commissioned by LUCE et Studio and the Mingei International Museum.
Fellow designer Martyna Rajewska and I led the initial research, concept development, and prototyping of this curtain, closely collaborating with lead designers Aura Luz Melis and Petra Blaisse. Peter Niessen and Nafsika Efklidou of Inside Outside took on technical specifications and production.
Problem
Opportunity
How might we translate the story of an iconic woman into a functional, flexible piece of architecture?
Solution
A transformative curtain that dampens sound, plays with light, and honors its namesake.
Understanding the Users
Defining the Problem
Design Solutions
Results
The Sessions curtain was part of an incredible transformation of Mingei International Museum. Our contribution to this project can be seen in leading publications like the New York Times and Architectural Record.
Lead architect LUCE et studio received an Interiors Honor Award from the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects for this work.
Process
Historical research and play.
We began our design work with a period of intensive historical research, starting with the site itself.
Mingei is located in San Diego's Balboa Park, formerly the site of the Panama-California Exposition. Through our research, we discovered that the park's landscapes were designed by Kate Sessions, an American botanist and landscape designer.
We were intrigued by Sessions' legacy. As a botanist, Sessions brought the jacaranda to San Diego—a purple flowering tree that is now an iconic symbol of the city. My design work explored how we could translate the form of the jacaranda to an architectural scale.
Outcome
Reflections
Don't. Skip. Research!
This design owes everything to a period of thoughtful archival research. By spending the time to dig deeper and learn about Kate Sessions and the jacaranda, we developed a strong story that propelled our design forward and won over our clients.
The narrative we created around Kate Sessions was also a natural fit for this women-led renovation of a San Diego cultural institution.
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