Santa Ana, Calif.-headquartered SVA Architects and global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm HOK designed the 153,000-square-foot events center and arena, which will seat 5,050 people with room to expand to more than 6,500. CBU selected Tempe, Ariz.-headquartered Sundt Construction Inc. as the general contractor for the $73 million project, which will create the 66-year-old university’s largest gathering space to accommodate a surge in growth in recent years.

“Not only will this facility create additional event space for the university’s fast-growing student body, but it will support all facets of their athletic, academic and spiritual life program,” said Sundt Vice President Robert Stokes in a statement.

The two-story, multi-use facility will be a hub for CBU athletic events, commencement exercises and orientation activities, along with the university’s chapel program, which serves more than 5,000 students a week. The structure will also feature locker rooms for home and visiting teams as well as a new athletics suite and offices.

The facility is expected to be complete in April 2017, in time for CBU commencement ceremonies in May.

The post California Baptist University Project Reaches Milestone appeared first on School Construction News.

The post CO Architects Recognized Internationally for Phoenix Building Facade appeared first on School Construction News.

The $23.3 million phased project will include construction of a modern, two-story, 66,400-square-foot facility with plenty of flexible and adaptable spaces. Woolpert North Carolina PLLC of Charlotte provided planning and design services for the new school, which is part of the DoDEA 21st Century Education Initiative.

According to Woolpert, this initiative focuses on “providing students with school environments that support flexible and adaptable spaces that are critical for teaching and learning.” Woolpert adds that these cutting-edge schools take into consideration innovations in education, curriculum delivery, use of technology and growing expectations for sustainability and energy conservation.

In keeping with the initiative’s goals, the new Delalio Elementary will include several 21st century learning neighborhoods, an information center, a centralized commons/dining/performance space, and an art studio. The school will also offer a number of general purpose classrooms, a technologically-driven computer lab, and a special education classroom. New counseling areas, teacher work rooms and supply areas, and administrative offices will further improve operations and functionality.

Several related infrastructure projects, such as the addition of new parking areas, playgrounds, mechanical rooms, delivery areas, covered walkways, landscaping and utilities will also be included in the construction process.

The new school will connect to the recently constructed gymnasium and music room addition. However, all other existing facilities will be demolished. The current Delalio structure is nearly 50 years old, and offers cramped classrooms, inadequate facilities and a poor overall configuration. The inefficient design fails to meet current DoDEA Education Facilities Specifications, and utility and maintenance costs are excessive. With numerous ADA code violations and no fire suppression system, the building poses numerous risks for students and staff, and many maintenance issues are no longer repairable.

Luckily, the current school site is large enough to accommodate new construction with minimal impact to students and staff. The older facility will be demolished upon completion of the new, allowing crews to then wrap up any necessary connection or site work.

Construction for the new school, which was designed to meet LEED Silver certification requirements, began in April 2014. It is scheduled for completion in May 2017.

The post Sundt to Build New Delalio Elementary appeared first on School Construction News.

Work on the high school, which is one of the state’s most populated, will include the addition of several new parking lots and athletic fields, as well as a new student drop-off/pick-up zone for parents. However, a 156,000-square-foot addition will have the greatest impact on the campus.

“Phase I culminates with (the construction of) two, two-story buildings,” said Las Cruces High School Principal Jed Hendee. In a recorded tour of the campus during construction, Hendee also explained that the school’s A Wing, former library, and administrative and counseling areas were all removed in order to make space for the new facilities. The modern addition is intended to help improve student flow between classes, and will be devoted to classrooms, administration areas, a media center and a new performing arts laboratory. To improve student safety, a new pedestrian bridge will link the two buildings, which will sit on either side of El Paseo, one of the city’s busiest streets.

According to Hendee modifications will also be made to the school’s existing B and D Wings. After Phase 1 construction is complete the school will move from a temporary library currently located in the B Wing to a new, permanent facility. The B Wing will also maintain four working classrooms throughout construction.

For the duration of Phase I the school’s D Wing science classroom and lab have been converted into a fully functional registration area and counseling center. Behind the school’s existing H Wing and greenhouse a ditch has also been filled to make more room for staff parking. ADA compliance work will take place throughout the school as well.

"Phase I of this major renovation project will bring a whole new look to Las Cruces High School," said Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Stan Rounds. "The project will also have an impact on the El Paseo corridor, and I’m confident the community will be really pleased with the results."

Project analysis for the new high school began in August 2011. A steering committee guided the design process, which was completed in August 2013. According to a release issued by the school, the cost of the total project, which will take an estimated five to six years to complete, is estimated at $82 million.

Wooten|Sundt, a joint venture of Sundt Construction Inc. and Wooten Construction, was awarded the construction contract for the project. Sundt has extensive experience in education construction, having worked on the James P. Butler Elementary School in El Paso, Texas and multiple higher education projects. Likewise, Wooten has constructed more than 100 education facilities for the Las Cruces Public Schools, New Mexico State University, Gadsden Independent School District, and Hatch Valley Schools. Rem Alley Associates, PC & ASA, an architecture firm based in Las Cruces, was selected to design the first phase of construction, which will be completed by August 2015.

The post Construction Begins on Las Cruces High School appeared first on School Construction News.

The $187 million building, which serves both the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix and Northern Arizona University, was noted for its boldness and innovative design of the interdisciplinary building that serves the colleges of medicine allied health and biomedical informatics. The new building is located on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix.

“The design team found an opportunity to place a powerful symbol of a region’s identity, a canyon for higher learning, in the middle of a chaotic modern city. In effect, the architecture represents a geological formation, providing for a landmark for self- reflection and discourse, and the fluid exchange of ideas for healing,” said Paul Zajfen, FAIA, design principal for CO Architects. “This concept of geology would be accessible and visible to the city, expressed literally on the surfaces of the building’s copper façade, which mimics the rock striations found in the Arizona landscape – striations that are the records of geology’s adaptations to events throughout time. Canyons appear to be cut out of the building, through the façade at strategic points, creating areas for skylights and light wells.”

The HSBE was one of four designs chosen for the AIACC’s Honor Award out of 279 entries.

The design of 286,000-square-foot, six-story building was inspired by the surrounding landscape of the Arizona desert, as well as the geology of the mountains and canyons. The desert-like appearance was executed through the use of striated and folded exterior copper cladding as well as the two wings of the building, which create intentionally narrow “canyons.”

“The search for a cladding material that supported the goal of representing the Arizona landscape led to copper panels, because copper is a recyclable, self-finishing, naturally weathering material that has symbolic power as one of the natural resources of Arizona,” Zajfen said.

The building was constructed to meet LEED-NC Gold certification and paid special attention to the use of abundant Arizona daylight and responds to the areas need to reduce energy consumption. The lower level of the building and fewer windows as the building gets higher for heat control. The south-facing facades combine overhangs with perforated screens to function as sunshades and vertical fins control on the north side of the building.

“This building makes a statement on the land, while also being contextual to the site. Its bold design, shape, and color are appealing,” Zajfen said. “The creativity and effort that went into the exterior skin of the building is a factor, as well.”

Ayers Saint Gross, with offices in Tempe, Ariz., served as associate architect and master planner for the project while a joint venture between DPR Construction and Sundt Construction, both with offices in Phoenix, led construction.

Other awards for CO Architect’s design of HSBE include the AIA National Technology in Architectural Practice Building Information Model Excellence Award for Stellar Architecture Using BIM; the Best of LA Architects Award from the Los Angeles Business Council; an International Interior Design Association Southwest Chapter Pride Awards Design Excellence in Education and Outstanding Team on a Design Project award; and the Arizona Real Estate and Development Award for Most Challenging Project. The design is also a finalist for the Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence Award.

The post Health Sciences Education Building Receives Top Honors appeared first on School Construction News.

The campus had not seen much improvement in 37 years, but the new buildings now have “up-to-date systems and a lot of natural light. It’s shown that when students work in a positive environment, the results improve. [The new facilities provide] a better learning environment, which makes it a more positive experience overall,” said Teri Jones, vice president of business development for Sundt in California.

Kevin Teel, project architect for TLCD Architecture, said the original buildings were small and cramped, so TLCD helped improve those learning environments with three major enhancements.

First, the project tripled the size of the old library to 10,000 square feet, which also added the latest technologies and incorporated much better daylighting, with vaulted ceilings and windows that overlook campus.

The building for the culinary arts program — one of the school’s most popular programs — was updated with completely new equipment and continues to feature a full kitchen and restaurant that is open to the public three days a week. In addition, a new audio/visual system was added so that students and the public can now sit in the dining area and watch what lessons are taught back in the kitchen.

Lastly, the science rooms received all new lab equipment, a new cadaver room and were updated with 21st century gas and water supplies, along with data connection.

Jones is particularly proud of the facility created for the culinary arts program. “The campus is known for that program. They actually serve meals there, and [guests] have to make reservations because it’s always sold out. We were very excited to be a part of constructing that facility for that program because it’s in such high demand.”

Teel added, “The culinary arts program was an interesting middle ground because the school was obviously doing something for students, but the whole part of their philosophy was to bring the public onto the campus and interact with the student body, recognizing that there’s interesting learning opportunities there. I took that piece as being an island that captured campus life but was also trying to pull in the public at large, which I think is really important. “

One of the project’s biggest challenges was working to keep the campus fully functional despite the fact that Sundt was constructing three buildings in different locations throughout the campus, Jones said. During construction, Sundt worked with campus officials to avoid any inconveniences and safety concerns. In fact, crews responded to a staff request and rebuilt a sidewalk between two existing buildings so that student foot traffic was not interrupted at the start of summer school.

Now completed, the new facilities total 26,000 square feet and are pending LEED Silver certification. Sundt, one of the country’s largest general contractors, was responsible for the demolition, site work, utilities and construction, while TLCD was the architect. The project began in May 2011 and was completed at the end of August 2012.

The post California Community College Revamps Student Services Center appeared first on School Construction News.

The funding is being provided by Santa Monica-Malibu School District’s Measure BB bond initiative. Not only does the bond cover the new Science and Technology Building, but it also helps pay for other additions throughout campus, including a new parking lot, vehicular access ramp, a 50-space bicycle parking area and Centennial Plaza, which will act as the main-entrance plaza intended for student gatherings.

Tempe, Ariz.-based Sundt Construction, Inc. is working on the projects at Santa Monica High School, and has plans to install energy-efficient features to help save the school energy costs as well as promote a sustainable environment for students. The school will feature improved daylighting and indoor air quality, natural ventilation, reduced water use and minimize storm water treatment. Also, with a boom in technology-related jobs throughout the country, the new building hopes to provide a home for technology learning at the high school.

“The size and complexity of the Santa Monica High School project aligns with our core experience in executing education projects that enrich the learning experience for students of all ages,” said Ken Iacuaniello, senior project manager for Sundt in a statement. “We take pride in knowing that the work we are doing on the Science and Technology Building will provide a launching point for students as they prepare for college and careers in a very competitive job market.”

The Science and Technology Building will feature a modern looking, steel-frame design with reinforced concrete decks ascending three levels from the ground, according to a statement by Sundt. The new building will provide students and staff with additional classrooms, science and computer laboratories, an automotive shop, administration offices and conference rooms.

The construction began back in December 2011, and although construction is currently running through the summer months, students will soon be stepping back on campus to begin their fall semester — and construction workers will still busy at work. In order to provide fewer distractions, Sundt and the Santa Monica Unified School District have been working together to provide students a safe and calm environment throughout the project.

“Sundt and Santa Monica Unified School District is committed to minimize the disruption from the construction project to students and staff,” said Iacuaniello. “We are limiting the impact of construction with a campus security fence to protect the students and have put up sound walls to reduce noise levels for classrooms and neighbors.”

The construction is moving along on schedule, as crewmembers are following design plans by Playa Del Ray, Calif.-based, R.L. Binder, FAIA Architecture and Planning. All the current construction projects at the school are slated for completion in 2014, just in time to celebrate 100 years at the school’s location on Prospect Hill in Santa Monica, Calif.

The post New Building Hopes to Prepare Students for the Future appeared first on School Construction News.