By Lindsey Coulter

West Valley Community College鈥檚 Learning Resource Center is in the midst of a significant renovation. The 59,000-square-foot 1970s-era structure located in Saratoga, Calif., was originally built to house the college鈥檚 library, digital media center, recording studio and various support programs. However, the facility will soon become a true campus hub thanks to the design ingenuity of Anderson Brul茅 Architects (ABA) and Mark Cavagnero Associates (MCA) of San Francisco. The team has worked in equal partnership to transform the dark, dated structure into a bright, inspiring anchor for the campus鈥� northeast side.听

The state-funded project also aims to build a stronger campus culture and sense of cohesion, driven by the shared vision to 鈥淐reate a beacon for success and growth. A center for academic and professional advancement through collaborative exploration.鈥澨�听

Construction, completed by general contractor Swinerton with Kitchell serving as project manager, is ongoing, and substantial completion is anticipated by the end of April. The building is expected to open to students by the beginning of the fall 2025 semester.听

Interior Revitalization听

Given the building鈥檚 solid structure鈥攚hich helped it withstand the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake鈥攔enovation, rather than new construction, offered a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for the college鈥檚 spatial and programmatic needs.听

鈥淭he building made for a strong renovation platform; cantilevered columns and no interior braces or shear walls allowed for a lot of flexibility to reconfigure the interior,鈥� said Jason Hull, AIA, LEED AP, associate principal and practice leader with ABA. 鈥淭he entire structural system and bones of the building were retained and reinforced to make it more seismically safe.鈥澨�听

Despite its sturdy construction, however, the LRC was not equipped to house modern-day building systems, power infrastructure or technology. The original design also lacked sufficient restrooms, offered little natural light and navigation was often a challenge for users.听听

To address these issues, the building will receive upgraded technology and building systems, improved program spaces, and new furniture and finishes, providing a revitalized home for the library, digital media center, TV recording studio, writing center, makerspace, gaming studios, and various program spaces and resource areas. It will also receive two new faculty-centric interactive hubs.听

A New Identity

With all of these different spaces, incorporating more direct wayfinding through interior design was a priority. Orientation was established via an avenue that runs from the new entryway into the library. Key services and resources are mostly located off of the avenue. The major gathering spaces that help to define the building鈥檚 interior include the library, success center, cafe and interactive hub, which are surrounded by classrooms and offices. Designers also integrated new meeting and collaboration areas, while retaining as much openness as possible.听

Many of the interior nonstructural walls and related finishes and fixtures will be replaced to support the new organization of the program. Seismically separated additions were designed for adding new programmatic space.听

The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver Certified certification via high-efficiency mechanical and lighting systems, improved envelope energy performance, and use of low -emitting materials and products.听

Furnishings and Functionality听

To create a greater sense of visual cohesion, the design team considered the exterior and interior holistically, selecting furniture and finishes infused with biophilic design principles as a reference to the building鈥檚 wooded surroundings. In contrast to the original monochrome palette, a blend of warm and cool palettes balanced with natural tones will differentiate active and quiet spaces while complementing the natural environment.听

鈥淚n the main space of the library as well as in the entry court, we have beautiful wood ceilings,鈥� said Ashly Vineyard, NCIDQ, project interior designer with ABA. 鈥淲e also have linear and horizontal wood that bring a soft natural element, and the patterning in the carpet is inspired by lichen.鈥澨�听

Additionally, as the building was not designed to house complex modern power data, mechanical, plumbing and electrical infrastructure, the renovation will remove poles that were added to bring power from the ceiling plenum down to the library floor and casework. Instead, the power infrastructure will be integrated into the floor and furnishings.听

Learn more about the visioning process and the focus on the building鈥檚 exterior by reading the .听听

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The new $151 million City College of San Francisco (CCSF) STEAM Building communicates its academic purpose almost immediately. From the outside, students and visitors see not just the interplay of sunlight on the building鈥檚 textured facade, they can also see directly into the facility itself鈥攚here science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics instruction鈥痠s fully on display. Inside, the building offers a dynamic learning environment complete with the latest technologies and a rich color palette.鈥�听

These thoughtful and impactful design strategies by integrated design firm SmithGroup are representative of the immense care and intention brought to every aspect of the building鈥檚 development. The SmithGroup team worked closely with CCSF officials, Kitchell construction management, and collaborative Design-Build partners at Rudolph + Sletten to deliver a technical, compact and challenging project at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and within a limited budget. The project challenged the team to think broadly and innovatively to connect art and science education in new and exciting ways.鈥�听

Engaging and Listening鈥�听

The鈥�124,000-square-foot STEAM Building was part of an $845 million public bond effort to update City College instructional spaces and鈥痑ddress aging infrastructure. CCSF administrators used part of the funding to prioritize STEAM education, modernize outdated infrastructure, and foster interdisciplinary knowledge to better prepare students for an evolving economy. 鈥�听

The team of SmithGroup and Rudolph + Sletten was awarded to the project under the first progressive design-build delivery approach commissioned by the CCSF Community College District. The team was tasked with developing numerous programming, design and pricing options to maximize the鈥痗ollege’s budget. To accomplish this, SmithGroup created design criteria using stakeholders’ priorities and institutional goals which developed into a survey tool that allowed faculty, staff, and students to vote on aspects of the design that best aligned with the criteria. The team also used brainstorming exercises to help university leaders to think more deeply about interdisciplinary teaching and learning. The approach gave stakeholders a sense of co-creation and ownership, but also helped identify spatial challenges and organizational opportunities. 鈥�听

Prioritizing Needs鈥�听

In addition to balancing constraints related to the pandemic and budget reductions, the team also faced the challenge of fitting all programs and spaces within the building鈥檚 compact footprint. 鈥�听

鈥淪TEAM is a relatively rare typology for higher education and community colleges,鈥� said Rosa Sheng, FAIA, director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Higher Education Studio Leader for Smith Group鈥檚 San Francisco office. 鈥淲hile the STEAM interdisciplinary mindset is the goal, getting every department under one roof is challenging from a space and cost perspective.鈥� 鈥赌�听

The project team and CCSF officials ultimately prioritized programs with the greatest infrastructure and space needs: Chemistry, Biology and 2D/3D Arts. The intent was to develop a highly transparent interdisciplinary hub for these programs while still welcoming the broader STEAM learning community. The solution was a simple structure鈥痶o meet the efficiency of construction budget and schedule, paired with the design concept of stacking drawers. This allowed each floor’s interior composition to represent the building’s interdisciplinary nature.鈥�听

The鈥痜irst floor focuses on shared instructional and collaboration spaces, while the second-floor houses art instruction, faculty offices and biology labs. Upper floors host integrated lab and lecture spaces for biology and chemistry. The project also introduced new tools and technologies. The Anatomy Lab now includes a cadaver room, there are new fume hoods in the chemistry lab, a greenhouse on the second floor for the Biology Department, and the Arts Department includes a kiln for the ceramics and sculpture programs, exhaust systems and chemical storage for printmaking, paints and materials.鈥�听

Artful Aesthetics鈥�听

The STEAM Building was envisioned as a radically welcoming, accessible interdisciplinary hub that provides safe and comfortable spaces for all users. It also had to meet the college鈥檚 strategic goals of cultivating curiosity, creativity and collaboration, while ensuring future-ready resilience. 鈥赌�听

This passion, shared by all project team members, is reflected through several thoughtful design strategies. For example, an Innovation Center on the first level opens to the outdoor plaza, inviting students and visitors into the building while showcasing the highly flexible makerspace and collaboration areas. To equip students for the careers of the future, the state-of-the-art lab and arts instruction spaces are designed for interdisciplinary education. Integrating welcoming鈥痵paces for individual and group study, tutoring and mentorship on all floors disrupts barriers to learning and engagement.鈥�听

To further celebrate interdisciplinary learning, the team used 鈥淭he Art of the Sciences鈥� and 鈥淭he Science of the Arts鈥� approach to catalyze a shift in pedagogy. For example, the鈥痶hird-floor Anatomy Lab, which studies the human body from a biological perspective, is located above the figure-drawing studio, which celebrates the human body in art, explained Bill Katz, AIA, senior design principal and architect with SmithGroup.鈥�听

鈥淚 love exploring the idea that the design of buildings on a campus can have a profound effect on interdisciplinary curriculum, and the sense of collected community that comes with it,鈥� Katz said.鈥�听

The team also developed a strategy in which fire separation doors on hold-opens allowed for each level to be interconnected with a feature staircase and student resource spaces. This smart interpretation of the code helped to create welcoming 鈥渉eart spaces鈥� that unified social zones on each floor.鈥�听

鈥淚t was important to connect all four floors in a very intentional way, both physically and visually,鈥� said Jason Campbell, Associate AIA, NOMA, associate and design lead with SmithGroup. 鈥淭he centrally located open stair area and elevator core features a 4-story collage inspired by Diego Rivera鈥檚 鈥楶an American Unity鈥� mural, distilling the tones and hues used in the original fresco.鈥濃��听

The mural and its color palette serve as鈥痶he foundation for the connectedness of arts and sciences throughout the building. Distinct orange, yellow and blue tones from the mural鈥痙istinguish each floor to support wayfinding. The color theme is also expressed in the hallways, student resource spaces, open stairwell and restrooms. 鈥赌�听

Learn more about the CCSF STEAM Center, which opened in January, in the upcoming March/April digital edition of 糖心少女.听

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TUCSON, Ariz.鈥擫os Angeles-based CO Architects recently won a 2020 American Architecture Award for its work on the $128 million University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building (HSIB) in Tucson.

The honor was presented in the Schools and Universities category by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

鈥淭his American Architecture Award is a tribute to our team鈥檚 insightful work on the University of Arizona HSIB,鈥� said Scott Kelsey, FAIA, managing principal at CO Architects. 鈥淥ur architects creatively unified the new multi鈥恜urpose building with its environment, echoing our mission to elevate communities with benchmark design.鈥�

Completed in 2019, the 230,000鈥恠quare鈥恌oot HSIB is a multidisciplinary medical and health鈥恠ciences education facility that supports the university鈥檚 Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health, as well as the Arizona Simulation Technology and Education Center. Kitchell was the general contractor on this impressive project.

To connect the HSIB to the campus鈥� existing masonry brick aesthetic, CO Architects selected terracotta, a material that could be extruded and manipulated. Visually appealing, the terracotta is hung on the fa莽ade鈥檚 curtainwall system, improving the building鈥檚 energy performance.

Facility highlights include the first鈥恌loor, multi鈥恠tory 鈥渇orum,鈥� a flexible event space that serves the building鈥檚 departments, the university populace, and the outside community. The room opens to the campus through three glass hangar doors, expanding the space and supporting events from 50 to 1,000 guests. Social/study terraces are carved into the building to provide shaded outdoor access to nature and extensive views.

On the seventh floor, a black box theater鈥恑nspired 鈥淪imulation Deck鈥� creates immersive simulation environments that mimic realistic, multi鈥恠ensory experiences supplemented by a viewing gallery.

The University of Arizona HSIB project is CO Architects鈥� eighth American Architecture Award, dating back to 2013. The 2020 award winners were selected from more than 400 entries.

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FOLSOM, Calif.鈥擜 new Kindergarten through fifth grade school in Folsom, Calif.鈥攚hich is approximately 25 miles east of Sacramento鈥� will serve more than 650 students when the new campus opens for the 2021-2022 school year.

Mangini Ranch Elementary School will be located in the brand-new Folsom Ranch neighborhood. Community leaders and parents are especially happy about this project being the first new school for the Folsom Ranch development, as well as the first new school built in Folsom in more than 10 years.

Kitchell CEM鈥攚hich has locations across California and in Arizona鈥� is the general contractor on this $50 million school that will feature innovative technology and additional resource space beyond the classrooms to promote collaboration and connections. A groundbreaking ceremony for this project was held in February.

Sacramento-based Rainforth Grau Architects (RGA) is the architect on this new school. The firm started working on preliminary programming with the District in 2015.

鈥淭he school was designed as a two-story single building after significant research was done with the District on trends in curriculum, collaboration and safety,鈥� said RGA Principal Architect Teri Jamison.

鈥淭he design focuses on connectivity, collaboration and community, which includes pull-out collaboration spaces, a central commons area for large gatherings and clusters of classrooms for each grade level promoting community.鈥�

There is increased transparency of the spaces to promote connection and supervision throughout the building.

鈥淎n access control system is being provided with integration to intrusion and video surveillance systems to streamline security and safety features of the facility,鈥� she explained.听 鈥淎ll instructional and gathering spaces are technologically robust with touchscreen monitors, speakers for amplification and individual student devices.

Jamison said the biggest design challenge was the journey to arrive at the solution being constructed.

鈥淭he change from a campus-style organization to a multi-story single building is a cultural shift for the school district and there was an increased effort expended early on in weighing all the options, concerns and opportunities in pursing this change in methodology.鈥�

Mangini Ranch Elementary School is the first of five new elementary schools planned to be built for the Folsom Ranch area.

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