| Los Angeles Trade Technology College (LATTC) is the oldest campus in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), with roots that pre-date the district as a valuable asset to the community and nation. The campus needed a front door—a welcome sign—to communicate the quality of the education contained within. The solution was to re-orient its front door to Grand Avenue, and the Construction Technology Building (CTB) is setting the pace for this transformation. This conscious shift to Grand Avenue will create a vibrant fusion of academic and urban experiences.
Supporting LATTC’s new front door, the CTB is located directly on Grand Avenue and combines a social urban experience with academics. The CTB is transparent along the first floor to inform the public of what is inside, while connecting students to the excitement of the street. Light-filled lobbies and undulating corridors support casual encounters that allow students, faculty, and staff to interact and engage in discussions outside of the classroom, and eventually, out in the city.
The site appropriately delineates between public and service functions, yet remains flexible in order to accommodate future uses. Orienting the long axis of the building parallel to Grand Avenue was the most logical solution in terms of efficient land use and screening of the construction yard. The structural system and wall configurations in the classroom and lab areas allow the greatest potential for future reconfiguration. Maintaining a modular and rectilinear design provides economic efficiency in the structure, and allows more resources to be dedicated to finishes, fenestration, and critical educational elements.
Maintaining transparency on the first floor presented a challenge with heat gain on the west façade. The solution integrates vertical shade elements to resist increased afternoon solar exposure and thermal mass to delay the infiltration of heat into the building. The fins deflect solar gain while allowing views in and out, and solid and perforated metal create an interplay of light and shadow across the west façade. Smooth punched brick openings give a counterpoint to the dynamic western screens.
The CTB will achieve LEED® Gold certification and exceed California Title 24 Energy Code by more than 25 percent. Sustainable design strategies include: stormwater management, cool roof, rooftop photovoltaic panels, light pollution reduction, protected shading, the use of regional materials (including steel, concrete, flooring, and casework), natural daylighting, and ventilation.
At its heart, the CTB is designed to be a teaching tool, demonstrating the use and selection of durable materials and systems. Exposed building systems—such as the radiant floor system and mechanical design—gives students the opportunity to use the building as a teaching tool. Additionally, as part of the LACCD Workforce Program, select students from the college will be hired as interns to work in the design and construction of the building. These students will earn classroom credit and wages for participating in the program.
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