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NAS Lemoore Child Development Center

Serving the needs of military families, the 16,791 square foot Child Development Center provides ten new classrooms for 88 children ages six months – two years, to the existing Child Development Center Campus on base at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The facility includes a full commercial kitchen, staff offices, break room, staff training and conference rooms as well as full age specific playgrounds with extensive shade structures.

The non-combustible steel superstructure and metal framed building was designed to be compatible with the existing buildings on the campus and be responsive to the climate conditions in the central California valley. The project was also designed to meet all Anti-Terrorism Force Protection requirements of the U.S. military. Due to the substantial noise generated by the Air Station, acoustic considerations were designed into the project for walls, roofs and glass assemblies.

The project was awarded LEED Gold by the USGBC, incorporating photovoltaic panels, a highly insulated building envelope, high performance mechanical system, a natural day lighting system and sustainable materials with low VOC’s.

November 10, 2014

Valley Center Library

The Valley Center Branch Library, part of the County of San Diego Library System, consists of two separate buildings; a new 14,000 square foot Branch Library and a 1,500 square foot Local History Museum. The Library includes areas designated for Children’s programs, homework and tutorial areas, Adult and Young Adult collections, a local history archive collection, reference areas, media collections as well as two Community Rooms and a “marketplace” concept.

The project site was a rocky hillside, overlooking a large, agricultural valley that is the defining characteristic of the community with the modern development of rural estate and ranch projects. To save money and to create interest by working with (rather than blasting away) the rocks, a creative solution evolved. The project massing and forms evoke a cluster of agricultural buildings built around the existing exposed rock formation. There are steeper, vaulted (barn like) volumes, with lower slope overhang and shed forms attached recalling the rural forms. A roofed porch shades the expansive glass walls facing south and provides additional reading areas outdoors without adding costs to the project. Up close, the contemporary materials, open volumes and detailing reveal a very modern presence. The interior layout of the building has an open plan with spaces defined by undulating ceiling lines and an exposed structural system.

The project respects and reflects its contextual setting and provides residents with a space reflecting and anchored within their Community. The library won a Citation Award from the American Institute of Architects.

November 10, 2014

The Tube

The Tube Coronado Bridge

Seattle has its space needle. St. Louis has its Arch. Sydney, its Opera House. All are iconic structures giving identity and fame to their cities. Almost every depiction of these cities contains their iconic identity structure.

San Diego has a beautiful bridge that was built fifty years ago on a tight budget that only provided five vehicular traffic lanes and, unfortunately, no access for pedestrians or cyclists to traverse its two mile span. San Diego is arguably is the one of the premier cities for Tri-athletes, runners, and cyclists in the Country, and probably the one with the best weather for walkers and athletes of all ages. The challenge is to create, not only a pedestrian/ bicycle crossing, but also a unique and iconic experience for walkers, runners, and bicyclists crossing the bridge, while NOT ruining the aesthetics of the bridge.

This steel and cable “tube” pathway addresses these issues for the Cities of San Diego and Coronado. An eleven foot wide bikeway/walkway is suspended at the top of the arches of the legs of the existing bridge, beneath the roadway, in a tubular open-air structure that allows for free flow of air and still provides the necessary safety for users, completely removed from the vehicles. The tube respects and enhances the aesthetics of the bridge, leaving the existing forms intact and connects to parks at each end. Preliminary investigations indicate that the loading of the steel tube may be possible within the capacity of the existing steel beams of the bridge.

City views from the tube and viewing platforms 200 feet above the bay are spectacular and extend all the way from Mission Bay and Point Loma to Mexico and the Coronado Islands. Three glass bottom viewing platforms allow for rest stops on the 2 mile bridge and dramatic views of the bay. It will be an iconic structure for San Diego, drawing visitors from all over the world. The design has already won an award from the American Institute of Architects.

November 10, 2014

La Quinta Fire Station

The challenge for this project was to blend in to an existing community where the design vocabulary was already established. Fire Station #32 was built to replace the existing obsolete firehouse and improve response times to the City of La Quinta. The 7,300 square foot, 2 double-bay, 1-story facility reflects the architectural character of the nearby historic Village District with its palette of stucco and tile. The associated site work included work with the City’s corporate yard improvements (and future phase buildings). Vehicle carports were designed to protect cars from the intense desert sun and heat and to also support photo voltaic panels incorporated onto the roofs. The building was completed under budget and designed to LEED Silver standards using durable, energy efficient fixtures, finishes and components throughout.

November 10, 2014

Encinitas Fire Station No.3

Encinitas Fire Station No. 3

This three bay Fire Station is located at the edge of a unique residential neighborhood in the North Coastal portion of the City of Encinitas known as Leucadia. This neighborhood is known for its laid back beach atmosphere and its desire to maintain its non-urban and charming character that has withstood the onslaught of development almost everywhere else in the City and North County. Many cars in the area sport bumper stickers that say, “keep Leucadia funky”.

Fitting into the specific neighborhood location, the project was designed to be a little “edgy” and embrace the eclectic and often unusual design parameters of the area. Neighborhood meetings were conducted by the Architects and input was solicited from the neighbors to ensure their receptivity to the design and planning. The existing station, on the same site, was an old converted single family residence that did not meet any current standards for safety, ADA, nor functional requirements. It was extremely “funky”.

The new curving metal roofs, exposed bead blasted CMU, lap siding, and expansive glazing to the west, (all elements seen frequently in the community) allowed the project to fit within its residential neighborhood setting and still retain the uniqueness of Leucadia. The community has embraced the design as part of their own character.

Sustainable Design concepts were utilized throughout the site and building design and generally designed to LEED silver standards. Site orientation with roof overhangs took advantage of views and solar shading. Recycled materials were utilized in the flooring products throughout; from the vinyl strip flooring, to the carpet, to the rubber flooring at the Exercise Room.

One of the most difficult challenges facing the project team was the phasing requirement to provide for continued operation of the existing station to maintain the coverage/response requirements to the area, which was accomplished by collaboratively working with the city, department and the general contractor. The project has garnered many design awards as highlighted above.

November 8, 2014

Encinitas Fire Station No.2

Encinitas Fire Station No. 2

Encinitas first became famous as the “flower capital of the world” for its many saw-tooth roof greenhouses filled with Poinsettia flowers and plants “invented“ by the Ecke family. As the Community has developed into a City, the greenhouses are rapidly disappearing. This two bay fire station is a 6,330 square foot, LEED Silver Certified building designed to evoke and memorialize Encinitas’ past greenhouses. It contains many sustainable design elements such as storm water control with a planted bio-swale that traverses the length of the long narrow site, drought tolerant landscaping, and abundant natural solar day-lighting.

The building design incorporates a continuous wall fronting the Interstate 5 freeway on a long and narrow, steeply sloping site. Access to the site is from one of the narrow ends, and is on a cross slope. For the 320 foot long, 14 foot tall wall, concrete masonry was selected for its mass, specifically to help mitigate the adjacent freeway noise. With offsetting faces, the heavy fluted and split-face textured blocks in shades of gray were specified for design impact, to discourage potential graffiti, and remain maintenance free. The standing seam metal roofs are sloped facing south to allow optimal delighting orientation to the north and efficient future solar collecting panels to the south.

Triangular, north facing clearstory windows provide effective interior solar day-lighting of the main circulation hallway. The hallway also provides a second sound barrier between the constant freeway noise and the living spaces. The free standing hose tower provides identity signage while also serving basic functional uses. It is clad in perforated metal panels and includes an iconic lift platform to raise the fire hoses which allow the canvas hoses to naturally drain/air dry between uses. The building is intended to convey a simple design of modular elements with a sense of permanence and energy consciousness.

October 31, 2014

Triangle House

The Triangle House

This project was built on a triangular lot considered un-buildable for many years. The remnant lot sits near the beach in the neighborhood of multimillion dollars homes. Part of the extreme challenge was convincing the City that a viable home was even possible on this miniscule site. Using many efficiency techniques found on sailing vessels with many built-ins, the 840 square foot home sits on a 1,200 square foot lot with surprising ease and livability. An open floor plan expands the sense of space inside and the vertical offset along with acoustical treatments, above the nearby streets, gives separation and privacy. A roof deck provides white water views and outdoor living space. The home received an A.I.A San Diego Citation Award, has been published numerous times locally and nationally, and has been featured on several national television programs, including “Extreme Homes”.

October 23, 2014

Patrick Wade Child Development Center

The Patrick Wade Child Development Center was a design-build project dedicated to honor Chief Petty Officer Patrick L. Wade, a Navy exposives technician who gave his life while serving in Iraq.

This 25,865 square foot facility serves the needs of military families by providing daycare for 218 children ages six months – five years at the Naval Training Center, Point Loma, California.

The project took advantage of an underutilized part of a public park site, maintaining and enhancing the remaining surrounding active park areas, protecting existing trees and site amenities. In addition to the park, the project site includes child drop-off and staff parking, full age specific playgrounds for the four various age groups and bio-swale and bio-filtration for storm water retention and filtration.

Providing all interior finishes and FF&E, the facility was turned over to the user ready for full occupancy. The extensive FF&E package included children’s preschool furniture and play equipment for the 17 classrooms; cooking and serving equipment for the full commercial kitchen; furniture, AV equipment, and computer network for the staff offices, break room, staff training and conference rooms; and a complete custom signage package, including a lighted monument sign. Integrated interior and exterior lighting accentuated circulation areas and children’s art display areas while the automatic lighting controls saved energy by dimming or turning off when natural day-lighting was available through the large windows and skylights. In addition to lighting controls, the building incorporated controls to allow for monitoring and adjustment of all building systems from a remote site.

Located under the flight path of the San Diego International Airport, careful attention was paid to noise abatement for window/door, wall and roof assemblies.

The exterior of the Child Development Center was designed to be compatible with the existing Spanish style historic buildings in Liberty Station. The building’s service areas, including the kitchen and laundry, are accessed separately from the main child drop off and check in circulation. The project was also designed to meet all Anti Terrorism Force Protection requirements of the U.S. military.

The project was awarded LEED Gold by the USGBC, incorporating a highly insulated building envelope, high performance mechanical system, a natural day lighting system, and sustainable materials with low VOC’s.

October 21, 2014

Windansea Beach Homes

The eight infill town homes totaling almost 5,000 square feet each sit between two narrow, winding one way streets on a 23,000 square foot lot just feet from Windansea Beach in La Jolla. There is surprising light and privacy despite the high density. Three levels give wonderful openness and volume inside.

This irregular and curving lot was previously occupied by the typical ‘50’s two-story box-shaped apartment complex with exterior balcony circulation. The property sits between two narrow, winding one way streets on a 23,000 square foot lot just feet from famous Windansea Beach in La Jolla.

The old building was a neighborhood eyesore and very run down. The new detached town homes, totaling almost 5,000 square feet each, completely changed this neighborhood upon their completion. They are sited to give each of them a glimpse of the ocean at the West (narrow) end of the site. Each home has three levels of living space, and varied volumes and ceiling heights. Careful individual window placement also affords privacy, while accommodating light and air and breezes. Floor to ceiling glass occurs throughout. Burnished Masonry walls, zinc coated roofs, nautical stainless handrails, and Kynar finish windows anticipate the harsh ocean environment. Color is used to add to the individuality of each home, all of which also have variations on their individual floor plans. The masonry walls have a burnished finish inside which is expressed throughout. Light enters the lower story through large light wells—some of sufficient size for patios.

Traversing the homes, one would never believe that 40,000 square feet of buildings occupy this 23,000 square foot lot, and a Floor Area Ratio of almost 2, but still with light, air, openness, landscaping and privacy.

October 20, 2014

C3 Church

c3 Church took a different approach to finding their home and bought a new, never occupied, tilt-up industrial type building located in a new business industrial center. While there was not enough height for two stories, our design provided steeper stadium seating that allowed some over/under square footage and increased the buildings useable area from 10,700 to 12,033 square feet.

This approach provided the needed additional space to meet the church’s program needs, and also created a very unique and intimate worship environment and very generous and current lobby/cafe. The Assembly space holds 423 people. The overall program also includes “Kidz Church” which is a series of classrooms and restroom facilities. The lobby shares exterior space with a glass roll-up sectional door, a cafe and a bookstore. The focal point of the lobby is a wire mesh curtain that closes to create meeting rooms within the Lobby space providing multi-use of space.

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NAS Lemoore Child Development Center

NAS Lemoore Child Development Center

Valley Center Library

Valley Center Library

The Tube

The Tube Coronado Bridge

La Quinta Fire Station

La Quinta Fire Station

Encinitas Fire Station No.3

Encinitas Fire Station No. 3

Encinitas Fire Station No.2

Encinitas Fire Station No. 2

Triangle House

The Triangle House

Patrick Wade Child Development Center

Patrick Wade Child Development Center

Windansea Beach Homes

Windansea Beach Homes

C3 Church

C3 Church

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