The Orchard School Library Receives LEED Gold
May 11th, 2012
The Orchard School Library, designed by HMC Architects, has received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Orchard School—an elementary and middle school in northeastern San Jose—sought a sustainable facility to improve its outdated and overcrowded campus library, with the goals of housing their growing book collection, improving student access to technology, and educating students on green buildings and a sustainable future. The project is the first LEED Gold certified K-12 public school building in the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County. Additionally, it is the third LEED Gold certified K-12 public school facility in the State of California.
Posted in High Performance Architecture,News Releases,Pre-K–12 Education
San Jose's first LEED Gold certified K-12 public school buildingSustainable Justice 2030: Green Guide to Justice
May 10th, 2012
By Julia Hughes, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
As part of my role with the Academy of Architecture for Justice, I contributed to the white paper, “Sustainable Justice 2030: Green Guide to Justice.” This white paper is a proposition for the role of the justice system in contributing to the continuing viability of our society. Intended to complement other public initiatives with the year 2030 as the planning horizon, we aim to articulate a vision for how green justice buildings can serve a green and sustainable justice system as a foundational element of a sustainable society. As architects, our planning and design efforts are framed by the vision of our clients; this paper is intended to illustrate a vision for the year 2030 that is holistic and elevated in aspiration to create a more just and sustainable society.
Download the Sustainable Justice 2030: Green Guide to Justice white paper and take the quiz for 1 HSW/SD.
I’m also speaking at the AIA National Convention and Design Exposition next week; click for information on my presentation, Sustainable Justice: Making the Connection with LEED.
Posted in Justice
A vision for a more just and sustainable societyPainting a Brighter Future for Kingsley Elementary School
April 23rd, 2012
By David Aine, Project Coordinator
Looking west at the promise of clearing skies, the morning of Saturday, April 14, began with excitement. The rain had subsided just in time for the revitalization project at Kingsley Elementary School. My wife and I were especially excited about this volunteer opportunity for its proximity to where we live (Pomona Arts Colony). Situated in a residential neighborhood, Kingsley Elementary (not to be confused with the one by the same name in Montclair) is at the corner of Lincoln and Washington in Pomona, Calif. Apart from the numerous portables, most of the core campus seemed to be built in the 1950s or 60s, sporting a uniform, flat palette of deep red masonry.
HMC Designing Futures Foundation recruited a great team of enthusiastic volunteers from departments throughout the firm to paint a mural. We gathered that morning alongside an army of people hailing from all over the Inland Empire and beyond. The eagerness to start our labor grew as we heard various administration and staff describe the challenges the school and district faced, including some of the highest drop out rates in the area.
HMC DFF Volunteers
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Posted in Designing Futures Foundation
Revitalizing a campus
J. Paul Leonard Library and Sutro Library
April 12th, 2012
The newly renovated J. Paul Leonard Library and Sutro Library has officially opened its doors to eager students at San Francisco State University. Bright, open spaces invite students into a learning environment designed for the 21st century.
The existing J. Paul Leonard Library was constructed in three phases (1953, 1959 and 1971) and contained approximately 287,000 gross square feet of building area on seven floors, including the basement. Since the last expansion more than thirty years ago, the enrollment at SFSU has increased, leaving the existing facility to provide for only 68 percent of the library space required by the growing student population. Furthermore, the building suffered serious inadequacies in the condition of its exterior envelope, where there were numerous leaks that were detrimental to library materials, building occupants, and the building’s HVAC systems. The building’s electrical and telecommunications systems were substandard and inadequate to meet the needs for support of modern electronic information and multimedia systems.
The ground level of the new addition offers spaces for collaboration and social activities.
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Posted in Higher Education
A flexible learning environment in the heart of SFSUOrchard City Banquet Hall Receives LEED Gold Certification
April 9th, 2012
HMC+Beverly Prior Architects’ recent renovation of the City of Campbell’s Orchard City Banquet Hall received LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The newly remodeled facility accommodates up to 300 people for banquet-style seating or 400 people for theater-style seating. It can also be divided into two smaller rooms for weekday rentals. ADA accessible restrooms and a full service kitchen are immediately adjacent. Green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions were applied throughout the project.
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Posted in High Performance Architecture
Celebrating LEED Gold!Best A/E/C Firm to Work For, and Now 100% Employee Owned
March 23rd, 2012
Employees are our greatest asset, and we’re building a culture where careers are built and professionals grow. HMC Architects was recently recognized by Building Design+Construction magazine as one of the best A/E/C firms to work for in the U.S. And as of January 1, 2012, we are now 100% employee owned. Watch the video below to see why our employees think HMC is the best A/E/C firm to work for.
Posted in Awards,Beyond Architecture | 1 Comment »
Putting employees firstI Love Architecture. Do You?
March 22nd, 2012
By Rita Saikali, Design Leader
On February 14, 2012, Architecture for Humanity launched a four-month long campaign confessing its love for architecture, and called us all to do the same. The campaign comes at a great time as unemployment in this profession hovers high, and individuals have maintained steady workflow, changed career course, or became creative in applying their skill sets in various ways to maintain livelihood. I’ve seen a myriad of actions including full time volunteerism, design ideation consulting, rejoining the student population, taking on educator roles, or starting up new ventures to name a few. It has been tough for all of us in this recession, and it’s for this reason the campaign should appeal to us all—so that we may remind ourselves and one another that there is hope, there is passion, and that strength comes in numbers to renew our love for architecture.
Posted in Beyond Architecture
Let's fall in love with architecture againPinterest: The Medium, The Message, The People
March 12th, 2012
By Rita Saikali, Design Leader
The idealist will tell you to never fall in love with the medium, for it will be ever changing and you will never be completely satisfied with it at any given point. The realist will tell you that he doesn’t care about the medium, because after all, it’s not the message. The pessimist will tell you that the medium is not the message. Finally, the optimist will tell you to embrace the medium! After all, it’s hot, it’s handy, and it’s a fun way to share the message in an over saturated world (wide web). It’s a place you can follow and be followed, and more importantly, a place where you can make connections and build relationships based on common interests, ultimately leading to further inspirations and validation.
Posted in Beyond Architecture
Sharing ideas visually using PinterestRedefining the Future of Women’s Health in Downtown Los Angeles
March 1st, 2012
Take one step into the new Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health, and you’ll realize that it’s an entirely new class of medical experience. A completely branded environment that is a fresh departure from other facilities of its kind, the Center for Women’s Health is a welcoming, spa-like environment that encourages women in Downtown Los Angeles to be proactive about their health. The high-end, luxury interior environment not only aims to alleviate stress, but also aligns with the quality and caliber of care provided by the Center for Women’s Health.
Posted in Healthcare,Interior Architecture
Encouraging proactive health
