Completion Date:     4/30/2015

Square Footage:      119000

Building Use:           Community College Library, Classrooms, Theater, Faculty and Adminstrative Offices

Location:                 Los Angeles, CA

Project Description:

The Cox Building is the heart of the Los Angeles Southwest College. A dedicated group of residents led by Mrs. Odessa Cox saw a 20 year vision become reality when the L.A. Board of Education approved plans for a new community college. Opened in 1967, it was originally designed to house virtually the entire College in one building. After more than 40 years, it needed some serious upgrading. The goal for the renovation was to regain the building’s stature in the community once again by restoring and improving the building design as the new centerpiece for the College.

The renovation moved the Administrative offices from the 5th floor to the new Annex on the ground floor, north of the main building. This move freed up space for much needed flexible Smart Classrooms and computer labs for the growing College.

Located on levels 2, 3 and 4, the College Library provides simple and efficient circulation patterns with unobstructed sight lines for effective supervision, single library entry point providing materials security, options for various seating arrangements for group collaborative study and quiet individual concentrated study. Spaces consist of strategically placed computer clusters, reading areas, study rooms, smart classrooms, teacher learning center, library stacks, circulation and reference desks, offices and workroom. Smart Classrooms are integrated within the Library for not only Library Instruction, but allows various departments opportunities for inter-disciplinary instruction. Natural light filters through the spaces via new windows cutout from 12” concrete wall, and via Kalwall translucent paneled roof over the reading area.

Café and Art Gallery is on the second floor off the exterior grand stair, outside the secured zone of the Library. It is open to students and faculty throughout the day and can be used as event spaces for the College.
The Theater on the south side was upgraded with 498 tiered seating, new stage with fly-loft and rigging platform, catwalk system, orchestra pit and trap room, control room, lobby, concession stand, dressing rooms, green room, stage shop, costume storage, and box office. The renovated Theater design provides current technologies for educational training for students, increase potential outside theater and business groups to utilize the facility as an additional revenue source for the College.

Some of the challenges were to design a simple, effective circulation system as there are multiple departments using the building in various hours of the day. Easily accessible ground floor north-south axis was key. A designated, computer-programmed elevator and an open stair within the library keeps the Library users safe and controlled. An additional elevator and stair tower were added to support the new circulation strategy.

A series of one-story volume, “base” was created as a platform to a once imposing building. Oversize frame surrounding the existing mural at the west façade gives the mural a stronger presence from the west campus entry view. Additional cut outs of the north concrete wall breaks down the massive north façade facing Imperial Highway. Bold graphics facing Imperial Highway also sends a strong branding message to the community and casual drivers passing by.

C.O.T.E. | Committee on the Environment

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