Situated on 34 acres in downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District Edward R. Roybal Learning Center RLC project entailed the rehabilitation and new construction of a 610,000 square-foot 2,800-seat high school.
WWCOT Architects rehabilitated four partially-built three-story buildings totaling 500,000 SF to create 88 new classrooms totaling 210,000 SF. The firm also designed a new 55,000 SF Auditorium/ Library/Cafeteria Building, and a 55,000 SF Classroom/Administration Building.
To manage subterranean methane gases, a mitigation system was designed that traps gases through sand, soil, and a plastic membrane and when levels are high, vents them through conduits located in and around the school into the open air above. All buildings were set back the minimum fifty feet from the earthquake fault below.
WWCOTs innovative design of the Classroom/Administrative Building features classrooms situated back-to-back that are accessed by exterior corridors, eliminating the need for an air-conditioned central corridor. Circulation is open-air, affording students and staff with dramatic panoramic views of the downtown Los Angeles skyline.
The buildings functional components form its architectural character. The canopy over the exterior corridors doubles as a strong cornice element, and the exterior stair forms a vertical sculptural element that counters the buildings mass.
WWCOTs, resulting innovative design reduced the campus overall square-footage, set aside space for an adjacent 10-acre community park, and met Collaborative for High Performance Schools CHPS standards for a more energy-efficient, healthier, sustainable learning environment.