HOLLISTER, Calif.—The design-build team of Gensler, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects, and Blach Construction is pressing forward with a new campus for the Bay Area Gavilan Community College. The new campus will replace the junior college’s original layout, which was realized in 1919. The design-build plan calls for the new Gavilan campus to be net-zero when completed this fall, with a future solar array in the planning as well.

“Our new Gavilan College San Benito County campus will greatly improve access to higher education in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, Tres Pinos and other rural county areas,” said Gavilan Superintendent Pedro Avila. “Approximately 2,000 of our currently enrolled students live in Hollister and other San Benito County areas. This decades-long-awaited campus fulfills our vision of expanding academic opportunities to these communities to support upward mobility.”

The first phase of the work entails a 34,000-square-foot “campus core” building that will be home to a welcome center, various classrooms, testing center, community room, dining area, offices and various learning laboratories. Phase 1 also entails work on parking lots, landscaping, entry plaza as well as outdoor learning spaces.

The progressive design-build model allows for seamless teamwork and budgetary control throughout the construction process. Following the school’s issuing of the original request for proposal, Blach Construction leaned on its previous relationships with both Gensler and QKA to imagine a joint strategy.

“Not every day do we have an opportunity to enhance a deserving community with an entirely new, much-desired community college campus, let alone partner with two renowned education designers and an inclusive client to do it,” Brad Fannin, project director at Blach Construction, said of the general contractor’s work at Gavilan. “We are thrilled to be leveraging our extensive design-build expertise, integrating seamlessly with our partners to ensure the Gavilan San Benito County Campus project remains on schedule, within budget and, when complete, exceeds the higher education needs of students in and around the greater Hollister area.”

Added QKA President Aaron Jobson: “Designing a new college campus is a rare and exhilarating privilege. Since the onset of the progressive design-build contract, the team was able to respond to multiple project challenges, including changes in educational approach post-COVID, approval delays, and a volatile cost environment. Our seamless collaboration has resulted in optimal design, innovative approaches to the construction process, and cost and time efficiencies for the College.”

“We were delighted to join as the lead designer for Gavilan’s new San Benito Campus—an important new facility designed with the community, for the community,” said Gensler principal-in-charge and education practice leader Sandy Mendler. “When complete, this initial phase of the campus will provide a full range of enhanced facilities and supportive services for students pursuing careers in science and other high demand fields, while also serving as a dynamic hub for community gathering.”

Funding for the project came from Measure X, passed by Santa Clara and San Benito County voters in 2018.

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SANTA ROSA, Calif.—More than a half-decade after the horrendous Tubbs Fire destroyed many structures in Northern California’s wine country, one high school is celebrating new life for part of its campus that was destroyed in the blazes of 2017.

Designer Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and general contractor GMH Builders have completed the Student Life Center at Cardinal Newman High School, which opened in time for the fall term. The center both replaces and expands upon the library and media center that burned down in 2017.

QKA’s design entails a two-story, 23,800-square-foot building that is meant to evoke the look and feel of a college student union. Inside, the Student Life Center is home to the new library and innovation center, which includes a cafeteria, faculty offices, student lounge, study areas and conference spaces. The center also features a digital media laboratory and recording studio. Classrooms are designed to be flexible with a variety of seating options.

The Student Life Center represents just one part of an overall master plan for Cardinal Newman High. QKA’s work is ongoing as far as reenvisioning more of the school in the wake of the fires. Previously completed restoration work at the campus includes the North Classroom Building in 2019 and a two-story classroom building in 2021.

“We are honored to be a trusted partner since Cardinal Newman began efforts to reconstruct its campus and plan for its future nearly five years ago,” QKA Principal John Dybczak said. “Working closely with GMH and [receiving] input from administration, faculty, students, and maintenance personnel, we designed the Student Life Center as the hub of campus.

“This next-generation facility furthers the school’s goal to provide supportive spaces beyond the classroom for students to study, socialize, refuel, and relax.”

A statement sent to School Construction News from personnel at GMH says the enthusiasm expressed by students, administrators and various other stakeholders helped ensure the project would come to fruition on time.

“Despite the challenges of working in such a central location, GMH Builders successfully kept pathways open and sequenced work to avoid any interruptions to the learning environment,” the statement said. “Despite record-breaking wet winters, we remained on schedule and delivered an exceptional project.”

“The Student Life Center is…enriched with tech- and collaboration-focused spaces to support learning and social connections,” added Cardinal Newman President Dr. Linda Norman. “We are grateful for the indomitable spirit of our school community, the generous support of our donors, and the invaluable guidance of our project partners as we mark this latest step forward in rebuilding what was lost and planning for the future.”

QKA’s portfolio entails more than $2.5 billion in projects in its nearly four decades in business. Engineering News-Record has called the firm one of the nation’s top designers.

GMB, based in Sonoma, offers services including construction management and general contracting services. Their various other California clients include NorthDay Healthcare, Bear Republic Brewery and the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

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SAN RAFAEL, Calif.—The San Rafael City Schools (SRCS) entity has announced that Terra Linda High School’s new gymnasium is ready for play. In addition to athletics, the new gym will be able to host assemblies and community events as well. The new building will allow TLHS to host league sporting events in its enhanced space.

The 22,000-square-foot project offers new student physical fitness facilities, weight and cardio training rooms, as well as competition-level courts for volleyball, basketball and other athletic events. The gym was designed by Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and constructed by BHM Construction.

As imagined by the design-build team, the gymnasium will meet sustainability guidelines as set out in the Collaborative for High Performance School recommendations. The gymnasium will also be the district’s first building that will utilize reclaimed water thanks to a dual piping system that will funnel water for sanitation and irrigation. Other sustainability features include low-flow plumbing fixtures, daylight-responsive lighting controls, as well HVAC and control systems powered by 60 percent renewable energy. If the district opts for such a route, the gymnasium can also be made entirely solar-powered in the future as it has left room for the installation of a microgrid battery system.

Jim Hogeboom, superintendent of San Rafael City Schools, enthused that the project gives the campus an entirely new frontage—and also connects to the surrounding community thanks to a network of bike pathways. The building has also been purposely designed so that it can double as an emergency shelter should the community’s needs arise.

“With gratitude for the support that made Bond Measure B and this project possible, we hope to provide essential resources to our community at-large,” said Hogeboom.

“The strong partnerships forged between QKA, BHM and the district resulted in an outstanding new facility which will enhance the TLHS campus and school community,” QKA Principal Emeritus Steve Kwok said of the work his firm has undertaken with the district and the general contractor. “Our expertise in high-performance education buildings allowed the design-build team to center the district’s priorities around making the building a safe and efficient campus landmark. Great emphasis was placed on the building’s environmental impact, including a permanent display on its sustainable features installed in the gymnasium lobby, which will serve as a learning tool for all entering the building.”

BHM Construction, which has been in business for over 15 years, has amassed a construction portfolio within the past half-decade worth over $1 billion. Meanwhile, Quattrocchi Kwok, which has been open for nearly four decades, has made a name for itself in master planning and design for K-12 and high education design work.

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SUNNYVALE, Calif.—Along with community members, staff, students and members of the project team, Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) celebrated the completion of its new District Office and Adult School Building earlier this week. The new facility introduces 27,000 square-feet of state-of-the-art education, administrative and support spaces and replaces a previous building that needed extensive structural repairs. Designed and built by long-time project partners Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Blach Construction (Blach), the new building includes a multimedia “District History” display in the main lobby, showcasing FUHSD’s nearly 100 years of educating the community.

Combining the FUHSD District Office and Adult School under one roof, the new facility provides an enhanced work environment for staff, faculty and students, alike. The District Office features new offices, professional/continuing education rooms and a new board room for public meetings. The portion of the building dedicated to the Adult School includes administration space and flexible classrooms designed to support a range of course offerings, such as English as a Second Language (ESL), GED preparation and citizenship preparation.

Driven by FUHSD’s desire to foster a greater connection to its schools and community at-large, the project team commissioned an exhibit house to deliver a historic display, prominently located in the building’s lobby. The unique installation uses physical and digital media to feature student work and the District’s significant, nearly 100-year history.

“Our ongoing partnership with FUHSD has allowed us a deep understanding of its mission of connection to its schools and community,” said QKA President and Principal Aaron Jobson. “It is gratifying to know that the District and community now have greatly enhanced spaces to support learning and operations, and we look forward to watching as history continues to be made here.”

The new FUHSD District Office and Adult School was funded in part by the community-supported Bond Measure CC. It was designed to meet or exceed all requirements of the California Green Building and Energy Codes and features energy efficient mechanical equipment, low-VOC materials, stormwater filtration and sustainable landscaping. Now fully open and home to all administrative operations, the District is excited to present this new resource to the FUHSD community.

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SANTA ROSA, Calif.—Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), a leading planning and design firm serving Northern California’s education industry, celebrates its 35th anniversary this month.

Headquartered in Santa Rosa and operating a second office in Oakland, the 68-person firm has made an actionable commitment to reviewing and improving its social justice and equity policies and practices through participation in the International Living Future Institute’s (ILFI) JUST 2.0 Program.

Last year, QKA employees founded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council to spearhead social justice initiatives within the firm, including submission for its JUST 2.0 label.

ILFI’s JUST Program is a voluntary disclosure tool for all organizations seeking to become just and equitable. Different than a traditional verification or certification program, JUST provides a transparency platform where policy statements on a number of human resource and community stewardship practices are disclosed. An organization’s resulting JUST “nutrition label” is outlined by 22 specific social and equity indicators that are housed within six general categories: diversity + inclusion, equity, employee health, employee benefit, stewardship and purchasing.

Throughout the JUST submission process, QKA’s DEI Council worked to revise and add many firm policies to ensure all are equitable and inclusive. In addition, the Council is currently developing a strategic plan for more inclusive hiring practices, working to set up community outreach to schools to expose underrepresented students to careers in architecture, and has focused on firmwide trainings on topics including diversity and allyship.

“Participating in ILFI’s JUST Program has allowed us to take a truthful and transparent look at how we can best support our employees, clients and community and also do our part to create social change in the industry,” said QKA Principal Aaron Jobson.

QKA’s 35-year history has been marked by a track record of standout educational spaces. Its portfolio of award-winning projects includes the ambitiously sustainable American Canyon High School, Marin County’s forward-thinking The Cove School and Historic Alameda High School’s seismic retrofit and restoration. In 2015, QKA co-developed its own school building alternative, Folia—featuring pre-engineered buildings that are durable, high-quality and flexible, while providing the cost and schedule efficiencies of modular construction.

“Reflecting on the past 35 years and who we are today as a firm, QKA has truly always been focused on people, collaboration and innovation, and delivering great work,” said QKA Founding Principal Mark Quattrocchi, FAIA. “My partner Steve Kwok and I have long-believed that investing in our staff and the culture here will result in partnerships and projects that we can be immensely proud of. This could not be truer today as we look to the future, continuing to grow, improve and learn. I am in awe of QKA’s next generation of leaders as they take us down this path, including the work to obtain and respond to our JUST 2.0 label.”

Also reflecting the significant value QKA places on its employees, at the outset of 2020, the firm became majority employee-owned through the adoption of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

QKA provides comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education, historic renovation and community facilities in Northern California. Founding Principal Mark Quattrocchi is a valued member of the School Construction News Editorial Advisory Board.

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—The Mountain View Los Altos High School District (MVLA) has begun needed renovations at several of its schools in the Northern California community.

The district broke ground in mid-July on the new Student Services Center and Auxiliary Gymnasium at Mountain View High School (MVHS), as well as a one-story classroom structure at Freestyle Academy for Arts & Technology and a new Student Services Center facility at Los Altos High School (LAHS).

The Student Services Center at MVHS is meant to be a centralized gathering spot for the campus. It will entail a dining commons and cafeteria, multiple classrooms, student union, classrooms and administrative offices. The school will now be set up to handle mental health and career counseling at specified areas inside the new campus spaces. The total new construction, aiming at LEED Silver certification, entails nearly 33,000 square feet of space. MVHS is also commencing on buildout of an auxiliary gymnasium and improving its athletic fields.

Next door to MVHS, the Freestyle Academy is adding a one-story, 10,500-square-foot digital arts classroom building for communications and multimedia curriculum. This new construction replaces five existing “portables” and consolidates them into one location, and also adds a student plaza.

The new Student Services Center at LAHS will be home to the counseling department, conference spaces, administration offices, lounge and student union. LAHS will also be upgrading its athletic fields as part and parcel of the renovations. The school is aiming for LEED Silver certification, if not higher.

Quattrocchi Kwok Architects of Santa Rosa, Calif., is serving as the project architect. The architectural firm is partnering with construction manager RGM Kramer, Inc., which is based in Concord, California.

Quattrocchi Kwok’s founding principal Mark Quattrocchi said that his firm is enjoying a productive relationship with both RGM Kramer and the Mountain View Los Altos High School District.

“Marking a post-pandemic era, we are confident these spaces will support the next generation of learning with thoughtful and flexible group collaboration and gathering spaces, integrated student service areas, and more,” Quattrocchi said.

At a groundbreaking ceremony, Patrick Maravelias, vice president of RGM Kramer, Inc., said that being able to attend an in-person event in light of the pandemic was especially gratifying.

“These new facilities will greatly improve each campus, replacing, in some cases, outdated, portable structures,” Maravelias said. “As always, we appreciate the close collaboration employed among the project team and look forward to what is to come for the district.”

Added Dr. Nellie Meyer, MVLA’s superintendent: “We are thrilled to formally mark the start of construction of these needed spaces that will enhance the learning and work experience for our students, teachers and staff.”

All three of the campus redesigns and upgrades are expected to be completed by the spring of 2023.

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HALF MOON BAY, Calif.—When students and teachers finally return to school premises, the Cabrillo Unified School District will celebrate the opening of its new kindergarten triplex at Hatch Elementary School in Half Moon Bay, located approximately 30 miles south of San Francisco.

The three buildings—which comprise approximately 9,200 square feet of modern indoor and outdoor learning spaces—were delivered using a highly adaptable prefabricated building solution called Folia.

“The one-story Folia buildings perfectly met our requirements at Hatch Elementary School,” said Sean McPhetridge, superintendent of the Cabrillo Unified School District. “They are modern, flexible, sustainable and ideally suited for the ever-changing needs of a kindergarten program. And, while we have not yet had the pleasure of seeing students enjoying their brand-new environment, we are looking forward to that day.”

The three buildings are centered around a new outdoor play area that includes a playground, as well as outdoor learning environments that support progressive instruction.

Two of the buildings include 960-square-foot classrooms. The third building is comprised of two large 1,260-square-foot classrooms. All were designed to encourage a variety of cooperative learning situations.

The Hatch Kindergarten Triplex was the first single-story Folia structure to be completed. Folia is an education industry building solution developed by Blach Construction, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects and Gregory P. Luth & Associates (GPLA) Structural Engineers. While Folia is built with the same type of materials and structural systems found in conventional school buildings, it is delivered more quickly and at a lower cost. It offers a flexible alternative to traditionally designed buildings with the same level of quality and longevity thanks to a design that is optimized for prefabrication and rapid installation.

Each classroom features a full restroom and sink and are conjoined by ample teacher prep space that offers visibility into the classrooms and the playground for continued supervision. Large and clerestory windows in the classrooms provide balanced daylighting, while operable windows and high ceilings in both the classrooms and the prep spaces stimulate natural ventilation.

“The daylighting and ventilation features that are standard to every Folia were purposefully incorporated to assist in improving student performance. Now it is evident that they’ll support a healthier classroom as well,” said QKA Principal Aaron Jobson. “Additionally, while initially designed to promote collaborative learning, these single-story Folia classrooms will also enable socially distant learning, which is clearly imperative during this pandemic era.”

This project was completed in just eight months. The cost has not yet been disclosed.

“Because much of Folia is prefabricated, we are able to offer greater schedule and budget efficiencies,” said Blach Vice President of Operations Keith Craw. “Not only are we excited to expand our portfolio to include single-story Folia options overall, we enjoyed working with CUSD on this project specifically. It is particularly gratifying to have been involved in bringing to life these new, high performance and flexible spaces where many kindergartners will begin their academic education.”

Folia is DSA (California Division of State Architect) pre-check approved, and

because much of the building is prefabricated, it can be delivered in less than a year. It was designed to meet the building standards of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) with an emphasis on indoor air quality, natural daylight, and acoustic performance.

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SANTA ROSA, Calif.—With a completion date slated for September 2021, construction continues anew on the 24,000-square-foot classroom facility at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Several months ago, ground was broken on a two-story building that will provide much needed classroom space for expanded educational offerings and curriculum. The building will enable the school to remove existing temporary portable learning spaces.

This project was made possible after the school embarked on a $38 million capital campaign to pay for the campus improvements in the aftermath of a wildfire in October 2017 that destroyed more than a third of the campus.

The new addition will encompass 18 classrooms, an art studio, four student collaboration rooms and two staff collaboration rooms. They will surround a central courtyard and be supplemented by outdoor learning spaces.

Sustainable design elements—energy efficient lighting and mechanical systems, low-flow plumbing fixtures, solar shading, operable windows, daylighting, and sustainably sourced materials—have been central to the complex’s design. The surrounding landscaping will be drought-tolerant and include systems for storm water retention.

Wright Contracting is the general contractor on this impressive project. Quattrocchi Kwok Architects is the architecture firm.

“It’s incredible to see the next piece of this campus’ transformation begin to unfold as Cardinal Newman continues to expand the facilities needed to keep pace with its vision for educational excellence,” said QKA Principal John Dybczak, in a statement.

“Designing this classroom complex was a collaborative effort between the school, project team, and the community that so faithfully supports these students. Designing flexible, contemporary classroom spaces that support student health could not be more paramount than it is in this historical moment.”

Added Cardinal Newman Interim President and Superintendent Linda Norman, “Intended to rebuild needed classroom space following the devastation and delayed by a global pandemic, this project symbolizes the resilience of our school and community in many ways. We have been thankful to have such a flexible and engaged project team and a generous donor community supporting our vision as it comes to life.”

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Like most architecture students in the late 1970s, I have humble beginnings with infusing energy-efficiency considerations in design. As a University of California, Berkeley architecture student, energy-efficient design was more intuitive than calculated, with design tools limited to daylight study models or paper sun-angle calculators. After graduate school, I briefly worked for the Passive Solar Group at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory doing glazing and sunshade studies using a room-sized computer — calculations that can now be done by the mobile phone in my pocket. But for the practicing architect, techniques used since ancient times that consider building orientation, ventilation, materials and daylight were what we used to create energy-efficient design.

Today, as I work with numerous school districts now armed with a dazzling array of design technologies and specialized energy consultants, I am reminded how important some of those simple design techniques remain. It is not uncommon for a district to ask about installing photovoltaic solar panels while still operating schools that consume huge amounts of energy from buildings that leak air and run inefficient mechanical and lighting systems. Certainly, investing in on-site energy generation and energy storage systems are vital to high-performance schools, but we must also implement readily available energy-saving measures.

I always work to help clients determine the best approach to their energy reduction strategies that considers short- and long-term cost savings, resources, environmental stewardship and student/educator health and academic success.

Energy Savings

Energy-efficient facilities, from both an environmental stewardship and cost-saving standpoint, have made their way into the ethos of architects and school-facility staff. My firm, Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA), based in Santa Rosa, Calif., is located in a state that has been at the forefront of energy-efficiency progression, regulatory measures and rebate programs. Recently adopted California energy codes and funding opportunities reflect the school construction industry’s commitment, with tangible energy savings for school districts. Examples include the adoption of CALGreen energy standards and legislation such as the California Clean Energy Jobs Act (Prop 39) to provide funding for energy efficiency and clean-energy generation in schools. With its more than 40-year commitment to energy efficiency, California’s energy use per capita is now the fourth lowest of all the states, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The energy savings provided by facility improvements have a tangible measurable benefit to a school district’s General Fund. In some states, such as California, funding for facility capital improvements are separate from operational or General Fund expenditures. Historically, this separation has disincentivized school districts from spending their limited facility funds on improvements with higher initial costs, even when they produce long-term savings. However, as energy costs have soared and with better access to funding programs such as Prop 39, school districts are implementing energy-savings measures on new and renovated school projects that have a lasting benefit to the General Fund.

General Fund savings from Prop 39 is abundantly clear, according to the California Energy Commission. Since 2013, more than 2,176 Local Educational Agencies have received $1.4 billion in Prop 39 funding, resulting in annual energy cost savings of more than $74.8 million. Additionally, these school facility improvements have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 280 million pounds of carbon dioxide. Most of these improvements are lighting and lighting controls, mechanical systems and solar photovoltaic generation.

To read the entire article, check out the July/August issue of School Construction News.

Mark Quattrocchi, AIA, is a principal at Quattrocchi Kwok Architects. He can be reached at markq@qka.com.

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