Embellishments of the wood “nest” are reminiscent of tall palm trees native to La Jolla. The slots in the ornamentation give guests a unique “preview” of the internal concert hall as they walk from the entrance to their seats.
One main venue in The Conrad is the Baker-Baum Concert Hall, named after two major donors — retired San Diego Gas & Electric CEO Stephen Baum and his wife, Brenda Baker. It was crafted for acoustic performances but has the flexibility for amplified performances as well. It has a capacity of 513.
The Baker-Baum
A sneak peek
Nearly two years after the La Jolla Music Society presented its last concert at the now-shuttered Sherwood Auditorium, the 51-year-old organization is heralding the start of a new era with the opening of its new La Jolla home.
The other venue in The Conrad is The JAI, named after two major donors — retired Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs and his wife, Joan. It can accommodate — depending on the event — 116 people seated at tables, 170 in rows of chairs, or 300 standing.
The JAI
The Conrad
Seats in the bottom back row can be removed for audio mixing equipment.
Amplified performance
The courtyard is equipped with lighting and sound for outdoor performances.
Wu Tsai Courtyard and Garden
Grillage dressing the front of The Conrad borrows from the same features found on the Botanical Building at Balboa Park. The slotted effect of the terra cotta and steel gives viewers on the street a preliminary view of the activities taking place inside.
Familiar façade
The “harlequin” pattern on the walls acts as a visualpun on the bark of the surrounding palm trees. The jagged structure of the walls repeats a geometrical motif found throughout the architecture of The Conrad.
The JAI walls
The windows of The JAI have been engineered to block any sounds coming from Fay Avenue while complementing the distant hills of La Jolla against the sky.
Tree-like windows
A second-floor control and projection room can serve as a “Juliette balcony” for small performances.
Balcony
A tension wire grid allows crew members to crawl out and adjust lighting. All LED lights change color with a push of a button.
Catwalk
Sources: Epstein Joslin Architects Inc.; La Jolla Music Society
By GEORGE VARGA & MICHELLE GUERRERO • U-T
