Welcome to the Music Discovery Campus where the interactions of music come to life for the youth community. With the site’s proximity to a predominantly youth community of Pico Gardens and the rich musical histories with the presence of Mariachi Plaza, we wanted to provide a place of escape for anyone seeking an interactive exploration of sound for the community. The components of architecture act as three tiers of music exposure and the landscape components support the intent of sound exploration.
At the nonprofit Symphony of Sounds Children’s Museum, children experience their first exposure to music that combines the whimsical interactions of play to foster childlike wonder and curiosity. The site itself is elevated to create a private courtyard that is divided into the cardinal directions, denoting 4 main structures. On the western end of the site, a circular plaza connects to an underground parking garage and serves as an access point into the site. Adjacent is the daycare and afterschool program for the residents of Pico Gardens to have a safe place for children. Parallel are two structures of the museum with a large circular atrium and a sloped rooftop terrace. The tapered glass atrium is the largest building framed by large solid walls that mimic the waves of music. Inside, trumpet-like bells protrude from the floor to support the atrium and serve as balconies into the exhibits above. The circular bells also inform walls on the ground floor to display musical history and provide spaces of play. As the user circulates through the museum, they end in the southern structure that serves as service and a private rest stop for the users to meander back into the site.
