The Science Complex was designed by the Los Angeles office HGA Architects and Engineers (HGA) and built by Pinner Construction of Anaheim, Calif. The project team also included Saiful/Bouquet of Pasadena, Calif., JMC2 of San Pedro, Calif., Fundament & Associates of Irvine, Calif., FBA Engineering of Costa Mesa, Calif., and Hunt Design, also of Pasadena.

The L-shaped building includes a three-story wing that houses state-of-the-art laboratories and a two-story wing that is home to interactive classrooms, offices and student lounges. Connections to the exterior environment are provided via an outdoor classroom, open-air corridors and a science courtyard.

A various-patterned façade reflects contextual and natural biological patterns to create a dynamic campus gateway from adjacent parking, according to a statement by HGA. For instance, plaster and brick were added to the exterior to complement existing campus building materials. Fenestration and corrugated-metal panels in different tones are a design nod to the nearby Port of Los Angeles, and suggest DNA sequencing patterns as rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels cast shadows across the façade and courtyard, according to the firm.

As evidenced by the building’s LEED Platinum status, many sustainable strategies were also integrated into the facility, including photovoltaic panels connected to the campus PV system, occupancy-sensor lighting, natural ventilation and daylight, energy-efficient windows, integrated building systems that respond to weather and daylight conditions, energy-recovery system that converts exhaust air into energy and classroom monitors that track energy production/usage from the PVs.

“The SCUP Honor Award recognizes the role architecture plays in shaping the student experience and improving learning outcomes,” said Satoshi Teshima, AIA, LEED AP, senior project designer with HGA. “By making science more accessible throughout the architecture, the Science Complex quite literally weaves the campus and building fabric into each other. The building becomes a backdrop and stage for campus activity and science learning as open gathering spaces and exterior corridors bring students and faculty to the forefront. It has been a great privilege to work with L.A. Harbor College on this project and we are thrilled to win the Honor Award.”


 

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The two new buildings make up part of the developing Applied Sciences Complex quad, which will consolidate the school’s agriculture, construction science, natural resources, HVAC and horticulture departments currently spread throughout campus.

The new Applied Sciences Building is replacing an existing academic building. It will include four classrooms, a computer aided design (CAD) lab, an HVAC lab, outdoor HVAC and construction technology labs, faculty offices and an outdoor courtyard. The design of the single-story, U-shaped building reflects the rest of the campus’s desert-modern architecture in scale, massing and color.

The building minimizes environmental impact and reliance on public utilities in several ways. The courtyard, for instance, promotes natural ventilation, maximizes daylighting and minimizes energy consumption throughout the building. The building orientation also positions primary fenestrations on the north and south façades to reduce solar gain. Durable exterior materials and finishes withstand the desert sun and high temperatures while interior materials are low maintenance.

“The Applied Sciences Complex promotes hands-on learning and career training through a series of indoor and outdoor learning environments,” said James Matson, AIA, vice president and principal with HGA in Los Angeles, in a statement. “The outdoor horticulture area, for instance, is an active learning lab where horticulture students grow, maintain and study different varieties of agricultural plants. Likewise, the HVAC labs offer students real-world training and technical skills development in mechanical-systems repair and maintenance, preparing them to go directly from the classroom to jobs in the community.”

The renovation of the single-story, concrete-frame Agricultural Sciences Building includes mechanical, electrical and fire/life-safety systems upgrades; interior remodeling of a lab, classrooms, offices, storage room and entry hall; and a new greenhouse and lath house adjacent to the building.

“We are excited about the modernization of classrooms and laboratories,” said John Jaramillo, dean of the School of Applied Sciences and Business at College of the Desert. “Members of our faculty worked closely with HGA in the creation of these new, state-of-the-art labs, which will provide our students with the best possible learning environment.”

The project is being designed to achieve LEED Silver certification and is scheduled for completion in fall 2014. This is the latest project that HGA designed for the College of the Desert. Last summer, the architecture firm completed the of the college’s West Valley Campus.

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The five-story building will include classrooms, offices, common areas and labs such as language, reading and writing.

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