Project Data:

Completion Date:     12/2/2022

Square Footage:      86000

Building Use:           STEM EDUCATIONAL FACILITY - CAMPUS OF LOS ALAMITOS HIGH SCHOOL

Project Description:

In pursuit of meeting the evolving workforce needs of the dynamic next generation, Los Alamitos Unified School District maximized their opportunity to launch a cutting-edge facility with innovative curriculum geared towards empowering students, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – the future of progressive education: STEM fields.

Los Alamitos High School, at the northwest border of Orange County, embarked on a bold mission: With an enrollment exceeding 3200 students, and a legacy deeply rooted in the District's "Four A's": Academics, Athletics, Activities, and the Arts, the District was eager to create a facility that supported and inspired its award-winning programs and students, who have garnered a trove of accolades, including the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the US Dept. of Education, along with the titles of California Distinguished School and California Gold Ribbon School.

The concept emerged from a collaboration of Visionary District leaders and educators, impassioned community members, and the vibrant project team, united to develop a future-proof institution that would cater to high-performance educational needs for decades, replacing the aging campus structures and temporary facilities.
The 3-story, 86,000 GSF building, is positioned at the campus's forefront to enhance school safety and improve vehicular access. As an architectural expression of this inspirational program, the large framed “Window of Opportunity” above the main entry, in the school’s brand signature royal blue color, illustrated the goal of elevating its civic identity; proclaiming this building dedicated to the community and to nurturing inquisitive minds.
Sunlight cascades through the building's luminescent envelope, infusing classrooms, labs, amenity spaces, workshops and office space on all elevations, with natural daylight. The visual texture of architectural form is enhanced with masonry, steel, glass, and concrete layered in harmony, forming natural connections with the outdoor student courtyards, applied engineering lab (robotics) with courtyard testing area, stadium seating and casual social spaces. Systems, fixtures and finishes are designed and standardized for ease of operation and maintenance, while shared spaces support and encourage movement, interaction and flexibility.

Transparency, open circulation and modularity allow for transitioning space, while maintaining views from student work rooms to outdoor courtyards, vertical circulation and flex spaces.

Within, the ground floor houses student services programs including Administration, Health Services, Counseling, and Campus Discipline & Safety, Technology Support, Media and Career Centers. Specialized Career Technical Education (CTE) instruction spaces for Computer Technologies pathways for budding programmers and engineers.

The two upper floors of the building house 15 general classrooms, 15 science classrooms and associated student and staff support spaces, including dedicated Professional Learning Community spaces on each floor for enhanced collaboration between teaching disciplines. Wide corridors with recessed bench seating areas allow for casual social connections.

This building and its experience for the students will become a beacon of future achievement that radiates across the community, with lasting impact on faculty, staff, students and the District, which inspires other districts to pursue the promise of a brighter, bolder future for decades to come, for all who wish to gaze through its Window of Opportunity.

Framework for Design Excellence

DESIGN FOR INTEGRATION:
Built as the campus' new "face to the community", the interior and exterior experience creates a more engaging opportunity for learning, harnessing the climate, daylight and flexibility of the site to inspire student activities year round.

DESIGN FOR EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES:
Welcoming, flexible spaces, clear circulation and a variety of function and activity-based spaces accommodate students, staff and faculty throughout, and prepare the facility for growth and change as needed through decades to come.

DESIGN FOR ECONOMY:
Limited school Bond require strategic use of budgets while incorporating desired features and amenities. Standardizing infrastructure systems, fixture selection, consistency of detail and straightforward, clear planning and well-produced documentation reduced cost implications, allowing the vision to be met, along with the budget.

DESIGN FOR WELLNESS:
As the project connects people to place, the result is a facility which encourages spending time outside in the building’s courtyards and taking advantage of ceiling-height glazing, with natural light washing into classrooms, labs, social spaces, offices and common areas, on every elevation. Lighting controls manage energy use, while the facility allows for adoption of strategies ot achieve environmental sustainability beyond boundaries.

DESIGN FOR DISCOVERY:
As one example, through the planning process, the facility became more flexible and innovative. The client’s program requirements had many rooms and areas to be located “in-board” with limited access to daylight, accessed by long “standard width” corridors. The design team “opened up” the space and provided the technical needs within the same square footage, but were able to harness daylight for all areas, activate wide corridors for student interaction, connect multiple spaces with the outdoor environment, something that the District had not previously accomplished.

Firm Name:              Westgroup Designs

Completion Date:     12/2/2022

Square Footage:      86000

Building Use:           STEM EDUCATIONAL FACILITY - CAMPUS OF LOS ALAMITOS HIGH SCHOOL

Location:                 LOS ALAMITOS, CA

Design Architect:
N/A

Associate Architect or Firm:
N/A

Landscape Architect:
RIDGE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Owner / Developer:
LOS ALAMITOS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Engineer:
CIVIL ENGINEERING - COAST ENGINEERING

STRUCTURAL DESIGN ENGINEERING - KNA STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS (MERGED WITH RTM ENG CONSULTANTS)

MECHANICAL/PLUMBING DESIGN ENGINEERING: PEZESHKI ENGINEERING, INC

ELECTRICAL DESIGN ENGINEERING: AG DESIGN, INC

General Contractor:
ERICKSON - HALL CONSTRUCTION CO.

Consultant:

Photographer:
TERRANCE WILLIAMS & WESTGROUP DESIGNS