This project is set in the center of a campus designed by Edward Durell Stone influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School, horizontality and geometry. The campus employs a vocabulary of 12x12 concrete block, square dentils applied to columns and fascias, vertical slot windows framed by masonry piers, flat roofs with overhangs and covered arcades across the fronts of many of the buildings.

The buildings are placed along both sides of a central landscaped mall contextual to the campus site. Each has a characteristic “U” shape framing a courtyard opening to the central mall space.

Program and scope:

The project sought to provide dining environments for students, faculty and staff that range from private dining rooms, intimate space to open airy high bay space in a building on one floor, to integrate the outdoor qualities of the Mall into the Dining Commons. The building servery was to incorporate display cooking platforms responsive to varying menu offerings and custom preparation. The program called for approximately 26,506 sq. ft. additionally the building was to achieve LEED certification.

The Solution:

The building footprint exceeded the space available if the central courtyard and “U” shape were to be maintained. Capturing the courtyard space into an Atrium Dining room provided the needed floor space while respecting the visual organization of the campus. The atrium space is a garden room with large ficus trees, skylights and clerestory windows and a north wall of glass, looking out to the campus mall.

Climate controlling the building with the highbay sky lighted central space, led to the employment of a displacement air system which delivers large volumes of conditioned air extremely low velocities for the thermal and acoustical comfort of the inhabitants. Roof mounted HVAC equipment delivers air through a combination of underground and exposed riser ductwork to large diffusers integrated into the interior design of the building. The building has been designed and constructed with energy efficient systems, recyclable materials, and green products, to receive Silver Level LEED certification upon completion of final commissioning in progress.

The campus vocabulary reminiscent of the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unsonian Architecture, includes 12x12 block masonry, no longer made in most southern California concrete block plants. The Campus had purchased the molds for the blocks at the urging of the architects to reserve for future building projects. The masonry units and dentils of the original campus vocabulary were incorporated in this structure.

Sensitive to the existing landscape, building corners were notched to fit around existing oak trees which set the theme for the drought tolerant exterior landscape development, including indigenous boulders, rocks and drought tolerant shrubs.

Project Delivery and Budget:

The campus sought to combine the design and construction of a residence hall together with this dining commons under one contract in a CM @ risk format. This collaboration enabled the campus to accelerate the projects, save approximately $600,000 from the budget with savings in general conditions, management, and materials. The project cost approximately $7,385,000 includes sitework and utilities.