2014 AIA Los Angeles (AIA/Next LA) Merit Award
“This is an incredibly rational project for the clarity and use of symmetry.
The use of materiality, shade and shadow are reminiscent of
the Salk Institute. This project creates a platform or a framework for
students to layer on to and transform it. The systematic approach
of how the classrooms are organized and spaced in between are
given an elevated sense of importance” ~Jury Comments
The proposal rests on two main design premises. First, it interprets the program as a reflection on the nature of teaching and learning. Second, it understands the site as a didactic opportunity to demonstrate how architecture connects human habitat, daily activities, and the physical and cultural environment in which it exists.
The project addresses the challenge of accommodating three different educational levels by proposing a group of functionally distinct buildings. At the same time, the design maintains formal and material unity. Courtyards physically separate the three main programmatic areas. The buildings also take advantage of the site’s topography to reduce their visual impact. The design places the tallest building at the lowest part of the site. As a result, the complex merges into the landscape and allows olive‑tree slopes to interlock with the built form. Open courtyards further reinforce interior activities.
Wooden column‑lined verandas act as buffer zones between exterior and interior spaces. These elements reference ancient Minoan architecture and reinforce the idea that teaching and learning occur everywhere and at all times. This exchange unfolds vertically and horizontally, often between peers. Early architectural decisions significantly reduce reliance on mechanical systems. These choices regulate environmental comfort and energy demand. Instead of relying on sustainable add‑ons, the complex adopts a holistic response to the site’s topographic, cultural, and bioclimatic conditions.
