AS THE PIVOTAL COMPONENT IN A HIGHLY COHESIVE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT, THE 76,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING COMBINES THREE FORMERLY DISPARATE DEPARTMENTS INTO A SINGULAR STRUCTURE. ACCENTUATED BY A SERIES OF OUTDOOR GATHERING AREAS AND CELEBRATORY SPACES, THE BUILDING IS AN INVITING AND ICONIC GATEWAY TO THE COLLEGE AND PROVIDES A SENSE OF DESTINATION TO STUDENTS AND VISITORS OF THIS EVOLVING CAMPUS.

THE 2.7-ACRE PROJECT SITE LIES AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF CAMPUS, A HIGH-TRAFFIC ENTRY POINT FOR STUDENTS AND VISITORS, BUT UNDERUTILIZED AS A COMMUNAL SPACE. THROUGH A COLLECTIVE, COMMUNITY-CENTERED EXPLORATION OF SHARED PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES, THE ARCHITECTS FACILITATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A UNIQUE DESIGN SOLUTION – ONE THAT ALSO ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF EACH OF THE THREE DEPARTMENTS HOUSED WITHIN.

THE DESIGNS OF THE INTERIOR SPACES FOR THE NEW LIBRARY PROVIDE FLEXIBLE FLOORPLANS, CENTRALIZED SERVICES WITH VISIBLE STAFFING SOLUTIONS AND THOUGHTFUL INTEGRATION OF JOINT USES. BECAUSE SMOOTH TRANSITIONS BETWEEN ADJACENCIES EMPLOY THE GREATEST POSSIBLE USE OF SPACE, A SHARED MAIN ENTRANCE WAS DESIGNED TO PERMIT EASY ACCESS TO EACH OF THE THREE MAIN PROGRAM ELEMENTS (LIBRARY, EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES). DUE TO GRADE CHANGES ON THE SITE, THE LOBBY WAS DEVELOPED TO FUNCTION ON TWO LEVELS AND USED IN COMBINATION WITH AN ADJACENT CONFERENCE ROOM, WHICH CAN BE UTILIZED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. THE FACILITY'S CLASSROOMS AND SERVICES ARE LOCATED ON THE LIBRARY-LEVEL FOR SHARED USE BY ALL STUDENTS, WHILE TECHNICAL AND MEDIA SERVICES, A COMPONENT OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE CENTER, IS SITUATED IN THE BASEMENT.

ARCHITECT: STEINBERG ARCHITECTS
CONTRACTOR: SWINERTON BUILDERS
CLIENT: SAN JOSE / EVERGREEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

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