30 Jan Sneak Preview: The New Orleans Jazz Market

Last night our team joined the AIA for a tour of the newly completed New Orleans Jazz Market. Named in the New York Times list of “52 Places to go in 2015,” the highly anticipated new home of the New Orleans Jazz Market did not disappoint!

The Jazz resource and community center now occupies the former Gators retail location at 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, on the corner of Oretha Castle Haley and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. The 11,000+ square foot space will serve as the central headquarters for the musicians, staff and stakeholders of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

The center’s mission “to provide an educational resource center for inspiring musicians and honoring jazz greats” is highly evident in the design of the space. The curtains, ductwork and dramatic reclaimed wood panels in the main hall were all specifically designed to enhance the acoustic quality of the performances. The striking orange seating was chosen by Irvin Mayfield himself to represent the sunset, a time in the day that perfectly captures the spirit of Jazz music. While the lobby area contains an alcove that will serve as a living archive.

Kronberg Wall Architects of Atlanta designed the space and Landis Construction was the GC. We worked with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra to help procure, order and install much of the furniture.