Mandel Weiss Forum

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Seems like I've been spending a lot of time at UCSD this year, so apologies for that. But I've had several commissions on the campus. And there's such a rich modernist architectural heritage there, it's really a never-ending source of inspiration for me. So when I'm there for whatever reason, I also often stop by somewhere else on campus for a quick side trip. This was the case for Muir College. And it's also the reason for these shots of the theater district. 


The La Jolla Playhouse is one of the country's premier regional theater programs. There is actually a "theatre district" on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, with multiple performance spaces. The drama / performance arts program at UCSD is first rate, and many productions that originate here end up on Broadway, and with Tony Awards. 

Photo ©Darren Bradley

But I've never really paid much attention to this part of the campus because, frankly, I'm not a huge fan of the architecture. Most of the buildings here are more "contemporary" or post-modern in design. I've never really found much to photograph here. 

But a friend asked me to take another look and I have to admit that I really like this long glass wall that architect Antoine Predock designed as part of the Mandell Weiss Forum back in 1988 to '91. The complex of buildings is sited in a beautiful eucalyptus grove and Predock used this mirror glass wall to brilliant effect, reflecting back the grove and making the building almost disappear. It's a great solution and says a lot about an architect when he's willing to make his work disappear instead of trying to stand out. 

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Again, I was only passing through and took a few quick shots on my way to photograph another part of campus. But this place definitely deserves a bit more time and I plan to come back some day to do more. 


For more blog posts and photographs on UCSD, look here, here, here, and here.