Arch Tour Fest: Santa Monica Public High School | 3:30PM

Photo Credit: Inessa Binenbaum

Arch Tour Fest: Santa Monica Public High School Discovery Building | 3:30PM

Arch Tour Fest – Full List of Tours Here

This is an in-person tour. Attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination. Please read and check the agreement and safety boxes in the registration. Additional information regarding the tour and check-in process will be emailed directed to registrants 24 hours before the event. Tickets are non-transferable.

Architecture Firm: Moore Ruble Yudell and HED

CES Learning Units: 1 LU

Tickets Available Below & Passes Available Here

Future Proof Building Supporting Evolving Pedagogies Education in the K-12 world is rapidly evolving in significant social, cultural, and pedagogical directions. Samohi in transition in terms of pedagogy from classroom-only accommodation to a diverse spectrum of learning suites and labs complemented by multi-functional ‘commons’ areas. This evolving condition revealed the Discovery Building – a 260,000-SF addition to the 3,000-student campus – as ideal for the Open Building approach. To fully understand the progressive program goals of the School and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, the team’s design process was based on a series of workshops with teaching and administrative staff. These meetings reinforced a hybrid approach to the use of open commons versus discrete spaces. In contrast to single and double-loaded corridor layouts common in California, the five-level Discovery Building has deep floor plates that allow the clustering of spaces and activities in a greater variety of sizes and formats, supporting different modes of learning. Large classrooms, up to 1100 SF, are themselves able to accommodate multiple activities simultaneously. The building wraps around an open entry court with cascading Stairs and bleachers for informal gathering. The building is designed as a ‘loft’ building with a flexible, open column grid, raised floor for air supply, power and data and non-load bearing walls which can be reconfigured over time. Sustainable features include ‘living’ green walls, displacement ventilation, roof top photovoltaic and solar thermal arrays. The classrooms are filled with natural light and many have operable glass walls to connect to commons areas.

KEY PROGRAMS:
31 Classrooms with adjoining Commons
2 Physical Science Labs
4 Collaboration Classrooms
2 Medically Fragile Suites
Multipurpose Room
Teacher’s Resource Room
Computer Lab
Admin Offices

Client’s name: SMMUSD
Contractor: McCarthy
Structural Engineer: Saiful Bouquet Structural Engineers
MEP: HED
Civil Engineer: Wheeler and Gray
Landscape: Pamela Burton & Company
Cost: The Capital Projects Group
AV / IT Engineer: Vantage Technology Consulting Group
Food Service: Webb Foodservice Design
Acoustic Engineer: Waveguide
Parking: Parking Design Associates, Inc. (PDA)
Aquatics: Counsilman-Hunsaker
Fire Protection Engineer: Jensen Hughes
Structural System: CONXTECH
Canopy: Pfeifer Structures

Tour Led by:

James Mary O’Connor FAIA – Principal, Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners
In 2007, James Mary O’Connor, FAIA, received the American Institute of Architects Young Architect Award, cited as “a virtual ambassador for American architects, he brings excellence, humanity, and honor to his profession.” Born in Dublin, Ireland, James came to Charles Moore’s Master Studios at University of California, Los Angeles in 1982 as a Fulbright Scholar. James received his Master of Architecture from UCLA, his Diploma in Architecture from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from Trinity College, Dublin. As Principal-in-Charge, James has provided design leadership for several award-winning residential, academic and mixed-use urban projects. International work has become a focus, with large-scale housing and planning projects in Sweden, The Philippines, Japan, and several areas of China. A recent prominent project is the competition-winning Grangegorman Master Plan in Dublin, Ireland. Additional award winning projects include the new campus master plan for Shanghai Tech University in Shanghai, China and the Providence Saint John’s Health Center South Campus Master Plan in Santa Monica, California. Currently, James is leading two innovative classroom projects for Santa Monica High School—the Discovery Building and the Gold Gym and Exploration Building. Over the past 25 years, James has taught design studios, lectured, and been invited as guest critic at universities around the world. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a Registered Architect in the State of California. James is Board Director of the Council on Open Building.

John R. Dale, FAIA, LEED AP – Principal and Studio Leader, HED (Harley Ellis Devereaux)
John Dale has been planning, programming and designing educational environments for over 25 years. In 2007, he was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for this focus. By defining small learning communities which boost student achievement and galvanize community involvement, he creates high performance learning environments that are widely recognized models of regional and national significance. Mr. Dale also promotes green schools. Building on evidence-based research, he puts in practice the theory that students are healthier and learn more effectively in well-ventilated, acoustically balanced, naturally lit spaces with strong connections to the outdoors.
As Principal, and Los Angeles Pre-K–12 Studio Leader for Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED), a national Architecture and Engineering firm, John’s projects have been honored with numerous awards at national, state and local levels. He has taught at USC, MIT, UCLA, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and participated in symposia, design reviews and competition juries. His articles and projects have appeared in books and journals, including Green Technology Magazine, LA Architect (Form Magazine), Learning by Design, Spazio e Società, Architectural Record, Fast Company, Faith & Form, Transitions 19 and the LA Forum for Architecture and Urban Design Newsletter (online).John is President and Co-Founder of the Council on Open Building.

Learning Objectives:
+ Participants will become acquainted with the principals of Open Building for the creation of flexible, resilient, place-specific structures.
+ Participants will learn about recent, cutting edge educational projects commissioned by Santa Monica-Malibu USD that align progressive pedagogy with Open Building principles.
+ Participants will gain insight into the multiple perspectives on dynamic programming and planning for flexibility in educational environments.
+ Participants will understand the implications of a shell and core approach to design and its relationship to the fit-out industry.