Link to article >>

The award jurors commented, “The County of San Diego should be commended on selecting design-build delivery method for this project—the project’s complex program will benefit from it. The nature of the project team and expertise that was brought on beyond conventional corrections design (i.e. campus designers) was an innovative approach. We also thought the design is elegant and sophisticated for a corrections facility. The entire team is to be commended for rethinking the design approach and raising the quality level of this project type. The campus approach, humane design and flexibility in the facility were particularly notable. Finally, the design-build team’s statement of community outreach was notable as well—it supports the strength of process in this project!”

HMC San Diego's James Krueger (left) accepted the award along with the design-build team.

The awards jury included:
Jacob Williams, LA County
Rob Lewis, US Army Corps of Engineers
Kirk Van Cleave, P3 International
Kanon Artiche, Solano County
Reed McMackin, Pan Pacific Plumbing
Brett Tullis, Sillman-Wright Architects
Alicia Wachtel, HOK
David Frommer, UNLV Planning and Construction
Michael Kim, HKS
Joel King, UC San Diego
David Hunt, gkkworks
Dean Maglieri, Development Industries
Lori Guidry, Development Industries

On behalf of HMC, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Beverly Prior, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, to president of the firm! Beverly and I will operate in a dual leadership structure. She will be responsible for the growth, strategy and development of the core practices at HMC, and I will continue to be responsible for the business operations and management of the firm.

With more than 30 years of experience, Beverly is a proven collaborative leader and has built a solid reputation in partnering with clients in the strategic planning and design of educational, civic and justice facilities. She brings to the position leadership experience that is rooted in developing a unified vision, team building and driving toward excellence. In 1986, Beverly founded Beverly Prior Architects, a nationally renowned architectural firm. She served as president of Beverly Prior Architects for 25 years until 2011 when the firm merged with HMC. Since joining HMC, she has been a visible leader within the firm, serving as the civic/justice practice leader and chair of the firm’s Practice Forum, which oversees our four core practices of civic/justice, healthcare, higher education and K–12 across nine offices. We are very excited to have Beverly on board as president.

Press release and Beverly’s biography >>

Today, 4th grade students from Curtner Elementary School visited our San Jose studio to learn about the similarities between the process of inventing an object and the design of a building. It all started a couple of months ago when HMC was invited to participate as judges at Curtner Elementary School’s first Inventor’s Fair; the top 10 winners of the fair were invited to visit our studio and learn about design and architecture firsthand. Our own Katia McClain and Marko Blagojevic gave a presentation to the students about a current project they are working on: the South Campus and Fitness Center at Evergreen College. They explained how through several iterations, the design concept evolved from glass beakers, abacus, and a 100m race into the design of buildings with slanted walls, windows following mathematical series, and horizontal lines in metal panels representing movement.

During their visit, the students were tasked with a design assignment—build a small scale dog house for a specific breed of dog. The group discussed the needs of each user (in this case, the dogs), their specific physical characteristics, and their individual personalities. The students were encouraged to come up with a design concept for each dog, use the materials most appropriate, and have fun building a house for their furry friends. Dog breeds included an English Sheepdog, Dalmatian, Poodle, Sharpei, and Siberian Huskie.

Small scaled dog house designed by 4th graders visiting our San Jose studio.

“Build Understanding, Build Successful Projects“
What makes a building project successful? How can you provide the best learning environments for your students and community in an efficient and well-coordinated manner? These are the questions continually going through the minds of school district and county officials. Seeing the need for schools and building team members to better understand each other’s roles and responsibilities, the Central Valley Successful Projects Workshops were developed.

“Listening: Market Trends Summary“
In late 2012, HMC conducted a client outreach “Market Survey” to better understand the trends affecting the K–12 market in California. We asked our survey participants to think about the future and respond with some of the more challenging issues that are keeping them awake at night.

“Local GO Bond Campaigns Make the Difference“
With the uncertainty of future state funding and suspensions of Level III developer fees, school districts must rely more heavily on local funding to support educational facilities improvements. While this necessitates the evaluation of potential GO bond measures, it is important for districts to realize that successful campaigns do not just happen on their own.

Read HMC School News >>

Sustainable features that contribute to the Math and Science Building’s 48 LEED points:

- Stormwater management design in quantity and quality

- Bicycle storage for students

- Heat island effect is reduced with cool roof and light paving material

- More than 75 percent irrigation water reduction

- More than 45 percent indoor water reduction

- Exceptional energy performance shows that the project performs 29.2% above Title 24 2005 or 23.4% energy cost reduction without photovoltaics, per energy simulation. The additional photovoltaic panels increased the energy usage reduction to 35.6% above Title 24 or a 31.5% energy cost reduction. Based on the efficiency, the project will perform approximately 60% better than typical school buildings, per the CBECS 2003 survey.

- Lighting control for all classrooms

- 25% of the total materials are from local and regional areas and contain more than 40% recycled content

- Low emitting materials for adhesive and sealants, as well as paints and coatings

- Outdoor air delivery to increase comfort and energy efficiency

- Green cleaning during operation and building maintenance

View the LEED Scorecard here >>

To achieve Polytechnic School’s sustainability goals, HMC ArchLab worked closely with the design team to integrate sustainable concepts early in the design process. The daylight simulation study gave us information to size the skylight and choose a suitable glazing system. The skylight design was adjusted a few times to meet performance goals and aesthetic design requirements. The initial skylight design option using a clear glazing system was modified with the diffused glazing system to provide better and more uniform daylight. A further study in interior impact was also assessed by looking at the luminance value. Combined with the control system, the resulting interior light energy usage is 40% less than a typical standard building.

The original scheme skylight (left); the library daylight model with skylight (right).

Original design

The initial skylight design with a regular glazing system showing harsh shadows and high contrast daylight inside the library area.

The final design scheme incorporating the diffused glazing system.

Interior Luminance study to evaluate potential glare.

Project Team:

Architect: HMC Architects

Sustainability and Daylight Consultant: HMC ArchLab
Energy Consultant: TMAD Taylor & Gaines
LEED Consultant: Buro Happold
Mechanical: TMAD Taylor & Gaines
Electrical & Plumbing: TMAD Taylor & Gaines
Landscape Architect: SE Farnum Associates
Structural Engineer: TMAD Taylor & Gaines
Commissioning Agent: Engineering Economics, Inc.
Construction Manager: Totum

He recently published the article “The Legislative Voice of the AIACC” in the Council’s May newsletter.  In the article he writes, “The legislative process is exceedingly complex. How can we as architects be informed about all of these potential benefits or risks to our profession, our businesses, our communities, and our environment?

We can’t, at least not individually. Collectively though, we can be informed – and not just to be aware – we can even have an influence in the outcomes of these bills. This is the role of the AIA California Council’s Legislative Affairs program, under the direction of Mark Christian, Hon AIACC.”

For more information, read Lee’s full article: “The Legislative Voice of the AIACC” >>

The STEM Center will be a new $2.1 million, 9,334-square-foot learning support center located in a renovated space in the lower level of the Natural Science Building. The center is designed for students studying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) disciplines, and will contain four group learning areas, four self-study areas, a large collaboration lounge, three meeting rooms, three classrooms, and four faculty offices. Services for students include: Wi-Fi internet access and a computer lab with 21 computer stations. The new STEM Center and numerous other facilities improvements on campus were made possible with funds from the 2002 Measure E facilities bond.

[Show as slideshow]

San Diego County developed an innovative approach to the care and custody of women that has the potential to establish a national adult incarceration model based on normative operations and facility design. The SDCWDF includes 1,216 beds on a 45-acre campus modeled on a community college and will facilitate a program intensive-management culture intended to proactively reduce recidivism. This distinctly transformative philosophy inspired the design team to explore principles of choice, change and accountability in the development of an environment that would support rehabilitative opportunities and the safety and security of staff and inmates.

The design is based on what are known to be predictable psychological and physiological responses people have to their environment. Studies show that women socialize differently; multi-custody living environments are clustered around exterior courtyards that integrally connect the interior to the exterior spaces to create intimate or group interaction. The program buildings are located in the heart of the “campus core,” which will buzz with activity during the day and evenings. The project is targeting LEED Gold certification.

The jurors commented, “The SDCWDF is exemplary in incorporating not only evidence-based programs but also evidence-based design to support those programs. There is a growing body of research supporting the notion that an environment that provides natural light, views of nature, and opportunities for positive interaction and communication can reduce stress and have encourage rehabilitation. This jail provides a college campus-type atmosphere with programs that will promote behavior change through rewards geared toward women—and will prepare them for re-entry into society. Through all these gestures, the project takes the concept of a normalized environment to the next level, setting up clear behavioral expectations for “normal” behavior.

As a jury we also appreciated how the open dorms provide a degree of privacy consistent with security (research shows that this encourages positive communications). We like how the campus provides numerous outdoor spaces for inmate and staff activities; landscaping throughout is carefully designed to provide these places while not blocking views needed for supervision.”

The project will be published in the 2013 Justice Facilities Review and honored at the AIA’s Academy of Architecture for Justice (AAJ) fall conference in Portland, Oregon.

The 2013 Justice Facilities Review jury members consisted of:
– Jay Farbstein, FAIA, Chair, JFA, Pacific Palisades, California
– Earl Cook, Alexandria Police, Washington, DC
– Duane B. Delaney, District of Columbia Court System, Washington, DC
– Tom Donaghy, AIA, Kishimoto.Gordon. Dalaya, Phoenix
– Tom Faust, District of Columbia Department of Corrections, Washington, DC
– Maynard Feist, AIA, Lionakis, Sacramento
– Jim McClaren, AIA, McClaren, Wilson, Lawrie, Phoenix

Complete list of winning projects //

Correctional News article on the winning projects //

My final Xref trip to the Casa Hogar Orphanage in Guadalajara, Mexico was a success! My husband and I delivered all the shoes and framed photos to the children at the orphanage this April. Read about my first trip to the orphanage here, where we photographed each child, then returned to HMC and set up an exhibition to inspire staff to sponsor a child for $25, enough to buy them a pair of shoes and frame their photo for them.

The video below documents the second trip to Casa Hogar, where my husband and I packed up all the shoes and photos donated by HMC staff and delivered them to each child.

Want to learn more about Casa Hogar? Visit my blog: www.onehundredfaces.com