In Malibu, Calif., a city known for beaches, surf, and sun, HMC Architects wanted to give Malibu High School a new building that harmonizes environment and education. With a focus on a sustainable and healthy learning environment, Malibu High School’s new Classroom, Library, and Administration Building, completed last year, emphasizes both energy efficiency and optimal learning environments.
On the campus’ hillside location, the new two-story building spans the entire front of the campus. At almost 46,000 square feet, the building includes a variety of features intended to foster the connection of students and staff with their surroundings. The structure includes a green roof, an outdoor demonstration garden, abundant glazing and daylighting, photovoltaic canopies, and sunshade devices. Operable windows, heated floors, and solar tubes, as well as protective overhangs and vertical shading fins, reduce the dependence on mechanical and electrical systems while promoting optimal learning environments. The green roof and landscaping concepts also improve building performance, manage storm runoff, and provide outdoor teaching areas.
A two-level administration wing anchors the new main campus entry, serving the public at its lower entry and students at the main level. The library frames a secondary campus entry with the existing theater building, bolstering shared public use of these two programs. New classrooms and labs are located on the courtyard and upper level, along with a demonstration roof garden that serves both students and the community. Glazing throughout the building is protected by exterior circulation arcades with sunshades, creating physical and visual connections with the outdoors for students and staff.
On the Building Team:
Owner: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
Design architect: HMC Architects
Architect of record: HMC Architects
MEP engineer: GLUMAC
Structural engineer: IMEG Corporation
General contractor/construction manager: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Related Stories
| Jul 22, 2013
Competitive pressures push academia to improve residences, classrooms, rec centers [2013 Giants 300 Report]
College and university construction continues to suffer from strained government spending and stingy commercial credit.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top K-12 School Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Gilbane, Balfour Beatty, Turner top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest K-12 school sector contractors and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top K-12 School Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, URS, STV top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest K-12 school sector engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top K-12 School Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
DLR, SHW top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest K-12 school sector architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top University Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Whiting-Turner, Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest university sector contractors and construction management firms.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top University Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Affiliated Engineers, URS, AECOM top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest university sector engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 22, 2013
Top University Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Cannon, Perkins+Will, Stantec top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest university sector architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, DPR, Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
URS, STV, Wiss Janney Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 19, 2013
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HOK, HDR top Building Design+Construction's 2013 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.