Case Study: Biology Building at Orange Coast College

Case Study: Biology Building at Orange Coast College

I am sure everyone has passed by the three large black bricked buildings that have been peering over the fences at the OCC campus these past few semesters. These buildings are the newest edition to the Orange Coast College campus that will house the Allied Health, Biology, and the Consumer Sciences areas of education making up the 53,000 square foot project known as the ABC Buildings. Although the actual construction of the buildings began in November or 2008 the planning for these new additions began twenty years ago as a part of OCC's Vision 2010 which started this 49.3 million dollar project in hopes to modernize the campus for its future. This project was made possible by the designers, planners, and architects of LPA, the most integrated design firm in California that prides itself in making sustainable design possible for each and every project under their name. They believe in integrating green and sustainable design at the beginning of each product to make sustainability part of the project's DNA instead of just simply labeling it a "green" building. All construction aspects will be headed by C.W. Driver known for their upstanding work that has spanned over 90 years of hard work and dedication. C.W. Driving has a reputation as leaders in General Contracting and Construction Management making them ideal for the new innovations we will soon see come to life at our own OCC campus. We can look forward to seeing the finished product in the Spring of 2011. It is a definite honor for current students to see these buildings finished and ready to be used for many years to come.

Essentially the finishes and products used in each of the three ABC Buildings are the same ranging from color to color throughout each building. I will be focusing on the largest of the three projects, the Biology Building which is located on the northwest side of the project.

The proper flooring in a project like the Biology Building is vital to creating a safe and healthy environment for students and teachers. The lab areas must have proper flooring that can withstand many years of experiments and chemicals to come. One of the main flooring products used is made by a company called Dur-A-Flex thats specializes in commercial flooring.

Dur-A-Quartz Epoxy Floor

Color: Q28-21

Dur-A Quartz's motto is "functional flooring with a flair." The product is made up of color quartz aggregate and a Dur-A-Glaze epoxy binder that makes this flooring 5 times stronger as concrete and much more durable. It is a non-porous surface that can withstand stain, shock, high traffic, harsh spills, and chemicals making it a perfect solution for science classroom flooring.

Additional flooring that will be installed throughout the project mainly in the classrooms will be Recycled Rubber Flooring. Their goal is to bring "alternative materials to interior spaces" by providing a recycled product to not only make the market better but to also provide better products for the environment.

Atmosphere Structure Pattern

Color: Stealth

The top picture is an example of an installed Atmosphere recycled rubber flooring that was placed in a sciences setting to give an idea of what the floor might look like. The below picture is the actual color that will be used in the Biology Building.

In Biology Room 101 a new innovative design will be implemented to enhance the learning experience through design. The company WallTalkers has made a floor to ceiling and wall to wall washable communication surface that will make bulletin bards and white boards obsolete.

WallTalkers Tac-Wall

Color: Charcoal

This innovative design is resilient and self healing making it appear new for years to come. It is made of almost all natural materials such as linseed oil and cork making it fit in well with the mission to provide sustainable design for this new building.

Laminates are a huge aspect of the design for all three of the ABC Buildings including the Biology area of design. All laminates are manufactured by the Formica company and will be used on surfaces such as countertops and lower and upper cabinetry. Formica is also a sustainable company that only sources certified wood and recycled content raw materials while they continue to research further alternatives to making their company more green.

Formica Laminate

Color: Storm

Formica Laminate

Color: Natural Cane

The Stone Laminate will be installed to run vertically using a Sculpted finish to create texture and enhance the visual appeal of the cabinetry. The Natural Cane Laminate will be used in all other cabinetry applications for upper and lower cabinets.

Most of the walls will be covered with Frazee Paint ranging from neutral creams to crisp whites giving the building a very clean atmosphere which is an ideal application for science. Other than paint vinyl wall coverings by Koroseal by the RFJ International Corporation will be used throughout the space to give the building more texture while still keeping the environment clean and concise.

Koroseal Shell Buttons

Color: Palau 8221-83

Koroseal is Greenguard Certified meaning the product was approved to prevent moisture from seeping into the product creating mold while also enhancing air quality by not giving off harmful emissions from the chemicals used to create the product.

Other products used in the building which I am interested to see once the buildings are finished are the ceramic tiles that will be used throughout the building along with rubber tile flooring by Johnsonite. Each of these products is a step towards more sustainable design, and I am so excited to see everything come together to create this space. These are just a few of the products chosen to created by LPA to create a healthy and safe learning environment for the Biology and various other science students that will be spending their time experimenting, investigating, and furthering their knowledge of the world that is around us. The hope is that this new environment will enhance the students excitement of learning and discovering new things in the world of science.

By: Carly McBride

Bibliography

http://www.coastreportonline.com/articles/2010/02/24/campus/campus0973.txt

http://www.lpainc.com/

http://www.cwdriver.com/projects/projectDetail.php?pID=226&ps=biomedical#imagepos

http://www.tomkt.com/aboutus.html

Read more »

Workplace Resource!

Workplace Resource, located on Bristol across from South Coast Plaza is a highly design oriented project that specializes in workplace furniture. Although the space is trendy and modern, the products used in the space are the actual products they carry at Herman Miller who is the parent corporation. The space gives a sense of calm tranquility; as one exits the stairs they are greeted by a soothing wavewall encrusted with the Herman Miller logo in a soft off white beige. This piece serves as a basic idea of how the space will read, soothing and calm.

(Wavewall with Herman Miller Logo www.modulararts.com)

The reception / waiting area reinforces the sense of calm with a Goetz Sofa covered in a soft crème white and artwork adorns the opposing walls. The rich walnut veneer backing sets a nice contrast to the bright floors.

(Goetz Sofa www.hermanmiller.com)

Behind the sofa is a cluster of George Nelson bubble lamps that demarcate a circle in the wall. The lamps are placed in front of the wall but all within the imaginary circle shape, they are successful in drawing attention to the circle which is what they wanted. The circle is repeated all over the place and is representative of the Herman Miller logo influence on the space.

(Nelson Bubble Lamps www.hermanmiller.com)

The bamboo flooring from Nydree tells of the soft placid nature of the work environment and gives a peaceful naturalistic tone to the space. Behind the reception desk are large panes of 3-form lucite accompanied by another wavewall installation to reiterate the initial artwork. This time the Herman Miller logo is placed on the lucite in a laser cut aluminum.

(3 Form Lucite Wall www.3-form.com)

The kitchen / dining area is covered in a unique Chilewich woven vinyl flooring that gives the area a cozy feeling while still being able to stay professional and easy to clean. On top of this gorgeous flooring sits three beautiful HBF Bar Height Stools covered in a rich walnut veneer. They are made to look like one piece of curved wood which the stool does remarkably well (for a veneer over a substrate :D). A custom banquette upholstered in Monoco Stripe perpetuates the feel of a relaxed working environment by using trendy colors in offset contrast. The carpet used in the office area is from Collins and Aikman’s Haiku Misco collection. The tile pattern is not too busy and looks like a solid piece from afar. This is a very good choice for the office setting as it is easy to clean and maintain and the tile pattern still gives it a modern and stylish look. My favorite piece of furniture that was utilized in the space had to have been the Ethospace System. The low walls and sleek design really appealed to my creative side while the changeable panels and nifty drawers spoke to my utilitarian side. Galen was nice enough to even let me see their newest addition to their chair line, the Sayl Chair. The unique open look really took me back. I was not sure what to think in the beginning but after actually sitting in it and studying for a little longer I fell in love with it. It has got to be one of the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in, let alone do work in. These chairs can be seen throughout the space and seem to be getting terrific reviews by the staff.

(Sayl Chair www.hermanmiller.com)

The design of the space and the materials chosen all work cohesively in creating a relaxed work environment while still promoting a productive work space. The products in their work space are all from the Herman Miller collection and work well as a showcase space for potential customers. The layout is well thought out for easy circulation and as you transition from space to space the types of office furniture change as well. Overall a very positive and inviting space to be in. Everyone was so nice and constantly asking if I needed help while I sat waiting for Callen. It is obvious that their workplace design was spot on as all of their employees were so happy and relaxed.

Bibliography:

Workplace Resource

Herman Miller

Collins and Aikman

ModularArts

Chilewich

Nydree

HBF Furniture

3Form

Read more »

The Korea House B.B.Q.

The Korea House B.B.Q., located in Irvine, California, is a design project built from materials meant to abide by the city of Irvine’s building safety codes. The design and layout of The Korea House B.B.Q is the result of collaborated effort between the owner of Korea House and interior designers hired for the project. Twenty individual tables are arranged in the main hall, and beautiful wooden partitions about four feet and five inches tall each provide privacy to each table by creating booths. On the left side of the main hall there are two, large, private rooms which were created for larger parties as well as customers seeking a more private setting. Being a Korean barbeque house, individual barbeque grills are placed at each table. As a safety measure, the restaurant is equipped with a sprinkler system and individual fans at each table’s barbeque grill. The wallpaper used in the reception area looks like an oriental style painting depicting greenery and wildlife; it was chosen for its cultural relevance as well as its organic theme. The wallpaper, as well as several potted plants and an oriental style cabinet at the entrance of the restaurant are meant to give visitors a taste of the beauty and elegance of the Korean culture.

The materials and products chosen for this particular project reflect a natural theme by using darker, achromatic colors with dimly lit areas. Once, one enters through the wooden framed double doors of the restaurant, there is a mat lining the floor which is meant to allow customers to keep any dirt from their shoes off of the restaurant’s wooden floors; also, it provides a place for customers to dry their shoes on rainy days. As the entrance is close to the main hallway of the restaurant, the mat helps to maintain the quality of the restaurant’s hard wood floors.

They chose granite as the materials of their tables and their front desk’s counter top. This was a wise choice because of granite’s durability and heat resistance. This is very important, given the barbeque grills, which are centrally placed in each table get very hot and several dishes are served in large boiling pots which are also placed in the center grill. Another advantage of using granite, is the fact that it is easy to clean and maintain which is of an important factor in a restaurant setting.

The booths have high backs which create a feeling of luxury in the restaurant and give customers a more intimate and comfortable place to enjoy when seated. The upholstery lining the booths and chairs is made of a very thick, fire retardant, patterned material and looks very durable; the pattern and color of the upholstery was wisely chosen because of its ability to camouflage dirt and resist fire, while still looking luxurious and matching the atmosphere and color scheme of the restaurant. All the walls are covered in an organically themed ivory colored material that is also fire retardant.

The restaurant uses recessed lights as its main source of lighting in the restaurant as well as soffit lights for low lights, and pendent lights on side walls in order to create an intimate and elegant atmosphere. During daylight hours, the restaurant utilizes the natural lighting through the use of the front entrance doors. The front entrance’s wide double doors are made with miniature glass windows so that during the afternoon, light streams through the glass windows lighting up the restaurant creating a warm, bright atmosphere during the day time. Also, at the very front of the restaurant, there is a wall that is partially wooden and partially glass. The wooden portion is four feet and five inches which is level with the wooden partitioning of the booths, while the top glass portion of the wall extends another foot and a half. This wall blocks wind from the entrance and helps to keep the temperature inside the restaurant warm. It was wisely made with both function and form in mind because it serves its purpose of maintaining the internal temperature of the restaurant while still providing entering customers with a clear view of the restaurant, following the restaurant’s natural and fluid theme.

Also, though the walnut hard wood flooring is a perfect match with the restaurant’s organically themed achromatic color scheme, there are problems with using hard wood flooring in a restaurant. Since they use chairs for private rooms instead of booths with built in seating, the chairs leaves scratch marks on the floor from customers constantly moving their chairs back and forth, and such scratches are obviously not restorable. Also, especially because it is a barbecue restaurant, the floor is exposed to oil every day and hard wood flooring does not provide slip resistance, which could be dangerous to customers wearing high heels. Due to oil buildup, they have to clean the floors with soap and water every day, meaning the beautiful hard wood floor probably won’t last for a long time.


They chose red quarry tile for their kitchen flooring. As quarry tile is fired at high temperatures, it is a great choice for kitchen flooring because of it is highly heat resistant; also the pores of quarry tile help absorb moisture. The restaurant also uses rubber mats, which are placed on top of the tiles to prevent from the slipping and provide grip.

Overall, the products and materials used in The Korea House B.B.Q. were well chosen for the theme and color. The natural theme along with the dim lighting and hard wood floors create a peaceful atmosphere which is meant to give customers an enjoyable and relaxing dining experience.

Bibliography:

about quarry tile

wall covering

hardwood flooring

benefits of granite

Read more »

It's A Medical Study

The school of nursing and health services building is uniquely complimented on the campus of Golden West College in California. It has been finished since the fall semester of two thousand and eight and I am proud to say that I attended the cutting of the ribbon ceremony when it first opened. A tour was given to the members that arrived as well as Frank M. and Gertrude R. Doyle, who are the ones who supported the funding for this building given to nursing students and health services for Golden West College.

I was given the opportunity to look over the whole project details from interior spaces and codes to the structural materials used to keep this building standing. It was designed by Perkins & Will creating a place structurally stable as well as being properly up to code for medical uses and spaces on the interior. The school of nursing and health services building was built to allow eligible students to take advantage of our popular and well known nursing program as well as identifying their own practice.

The outside of this building shows brick in the running bond pattern made of type 2 concrete. Though it is not back to back and revealed on the interior, you still get the image of a sturdy material. Being limited to my requests of touring the inside of rooms on the upper levels, i was able to sneak up the stairs and capture what they call translucent glass for some of the windows used. This glass allowed natural light to come in, but not letting the inside space get too hot from the sun shining in. This room is occupied for demonstrations on fake patients and instruments. From the inside you can see out clearly as the outside keeps you from seeing in on any tasks being done.

Stairs on both sides for students to exit and enter their studies are made from the medium carbon of A-36. This strong material creates stability for any galvinated corrosion and resistance to any natural disasters. Its non slip strips on the edge of each step is good for all weather conditions that make the climb safer since it is an outside asset to the design.

Many rooms i was able to glance at used carpet tiles. I thought this was a good advantage making it easier to replace if any damage were to occur on one piece rather than replacing the entire space's flooring. The main reception area had one restroom, which used ceramic tile as the flooring. It was a non-absorbent type that was not slippery and complimented the wall tiles in a vertical pattern.

As I was looking over the blueprints for this project, Austin was of great help in the facilities building and explained to me how I can find what detail from abbreviation codes in this huge book and told me more about the inside where I was not able to see for myself. There are a few rooms that are painted in vibrant colors for testing and placing certain patients in and allow for studies and student practice, which I think is key for this program. As close as you can make to a real hospital, this building comes close in certain limits of how nursing majors can transition to real patients they will be treating.

The main receptionist desk was made with a high resin material panels as well as in the skills lab section of the nurse building. There was a brown finish around parts of the exterior. Made with wood veneer, its weather resistant philosophy looks the part and works well with keeping the place a significant creation to attend to.

Designing a space for medical uses is very code oriented since there are certain requirements that need tending to, which make this a neat project to look into because I can find out why specific materials are used any why. Especially since real patients are checked in for minor health reasons makes it all the more real for students to obtain the condition for their profession. I would say material choices were used successfully making this building safe and realistic.

(my source was verbal)

Read more »

Case Study: Gina's Pizza

Gina's Pizza & Pastaria, located in Irvine, California, is a design project that remembers the founder of the company using classical European materials and products. Since this restaurant is nearby University, many students get together in there if there is a football game or basketball game. They use the place as not only for eating foods but also hanging out with their friends or family. So, Gina’s Pizza offers the atmosphere people for having fun at the place.

The theme of this store is elegant European with the usage of yellow and green for an analogous color scheme. Therefore, most of materials and products have those hues. As flooring, they use concrete which is rigid material that spans large areas. To express their concept, the concrete flooring is painted with dark red color. Even though there are many different kinds of special paints for concrete, especially Epoxy paints with extra durability are usually used on floor surface. However, kitchen flooring is installed with Ceramic tiles. This type of tiles is ideal for kitchen flooring because kitchen is easily exposed to water and moisture. To pass the health code, strength and durability, the tiles in a kitchen let you ensure that your kitchen is easy to clean and maintain.

On the wall, the fresco wall paper is covered on plaster on the entire walls. This yellow color fresco walls give people the feeling of rough texture.

Plastic laminate countertop is chosen for the counter and service area. Also, it is used for the bar which is attached on the wall side. This type of countertop is easy to care for and durable for hardworking area. So, It is good choice to use at service area because it stands well in high temperature and moisture.

(Wood: http://www.lughertexture.com)

The main entrance door is used the two sides dark wooden door, which is made by using reclaimed wood. This door not only reflects the concept of this restaurant, it is also sustainable by using antique wood. The furniture of bar such as table and stools are also used wood which looks very classical and the bar meets the ADA codes for wheelchair users.

(Stone tile: http://www.shophomeandgarden.com)

On the bar side of wall, argyle patterned of dark red stone tiles are installed on there. Since the tiles have been faded, if you sit on the bar stool and look at the wall, you can feel old which is related with the concept of this restaurant. Since the stone tiles have rough texture, people can feel the texture and heavy weight visually. Unlike ceramic tiles, stone tiles absorb water, so it is good choice at the bar area where people serve the foods and cups of beers.

Generally, pendent lightning fixtures are used in overall selling, counter, and bar area. It is common place to use the pendent lighting in the restaurants, especially bar, because it makes the place more luxurious. In Gina’s Pizza, you can see the wall mounted fixtures on the walls with antique products such as picture frames, wall mounted candle holders, and stained metal wall decorations. The wall mounted fixtures give people feel more classical also it makes the texture of wall paper prominently. However, on the kitchen ceiling, fluorescent lights are used because it make the space clean and can save energy.

As I mentioned above, there are various types of metal products on the wall. By following the concept, all the oxidized products which are exposed to air and humidity or moisture show that metals oxidize is used to decorative advantage because stained metals offer people flow of time. There is a terrace for outside sits with glass made fences. The greatest advantage of using glass is energy efficiency because it can use the sunlight.

More than anything else, the major goals of Gina's Pizza & Pastaria is that reminds people remember the founder of the restaurant and make people getting around in there. By considering the goals and purposes, the products and materials are well chosen and used appropriately. In addition, the usage of an analogous color scheme is well fitted. Therefore, people can encounter the classical European concept of the restaurant even they just drop by there to pick the pizza up.

Bibliography:

Wood

Stone Tile

ADA Codes

Plastic laminate countertop

Read more »

ABC-Building Project: Our New Home

(CW Driver)

My fellow Interior Design Students...The Time has Come!! We are finally moving out of our old, cramped, badly air-conditioned design studios and into a new state-of-the-art facility. Soon, the Consumer Sciences building will become the new home for interior design students next semester...and it's about time!!

C.W. Driver is a multi-faceted builder providing General Contracting, Construction Management and Design/Build services to the Wester United States since 1919. With offices located in Los Angeles, Irvine, Ontario and San Diego, they have become a leader in construction management services for nearly ten decades. At Orange Coast College alone they have been the creative minds behind our new and improved Gymnasium and Fitness Center, Learning Resource Center, and newly remodeled Watson Hall. C.W. Driver is currently working on the construction of our new ABC Building located on the Southwest side of campus adjacent to the Technology Building. In the spring, this facility will offer amazing new educational opportunities for students and improve instruction capabilities for professors under the Allied Health, Consumer Sciences, and Biology education here at OCC.

The concept behind this building was to push the envelope of what most people would expect to touch and/or see in a typical higher education facility. Enlisting the help of LPA, one of the largest integrated design firms in California that specialize in environmentally friendly and sustainable design, this facility was designed to be innovative yet energy efficient to meet Title 24 regulations. By experimenting with color and texture, interior designer Tammy Miller and architect Winston Bao worked together to design a breathtaking structure and diligently selected unique yet functional products that would make it an exciting and comfortable environment for learning.

I was fortunate enough to be able to take a private tour of the ABC Building construction site with Mr. Randy Rankin, senior project manager for C.W. Driver, who was gracious enough to allow me to explore the new facility (under supervision and a hard hat of course) and see what I would be experiencing come next spring. Mr. Rankin gave me a V.I.P tour of all three buildings and let me in on how the design of the building came about and where the actual locations of some of the finishes would be. The project is in its last phase of construction and should be completed some time in December.

One of the most inspiring sights is found on the exterior walls of all three buildings. They are all scaled from top to bottom and on all four sides with an iridescent charcoal brick veneer. When the sunlight hits the side of the structure a beautiful reddish tone comes through and adds to the complexity of the finish.

Much of the finishes were not installed at the time of my visit, however, here are some of the finishes you can expect to see when the facility is open to the public in a few months.

To achieve a transitional color palette, the doors and walls will be painted in soothing shades of grey and off-white (Frazee 21740-Abalon, 3171-Silver, 487-Swiss Coffee) to give the classrooms a relaxing feel. However, the new Interior Design Studio will get a few splashes of color on the walls in cool turquoise and rust accents (Frazee 3034D-Senor, 1555D-Ptarmigan).

(Formica Corporation)

This sculpted plastic laminate by Formica used on the upper and lower cabinets in the classrooms and laboratories is run vertically and creates a surprising textural element to a somewhat simple addition. Other laminates will be used for cabinetry, work surfaces and countertops in wood grain finishes and abstract designs (Formica 6942-58 Charcoal Boomerang, 6930-NT Natural Cane).

"Natural Cane" "Charcoal Boomerang"

On the 1st floor of the C-building, the larger design and fashion studios will have recycled rubber tiled flooring installed, as well as, in the shared laboratories across the hallway. This flooring by To Market, a company founded in 1998 that prides itself in innovative alternative materials for interior spaces, is FloorScore certified for its low VOC emissions and has high rated acoustic and wear resistance properties.

Carpet tile by Bentley Prince Street, headquarted in City of Industry, CA, is used as the primary flooring selection for the classrooms, offices and conference rooms on the 2nd floor. It is a long lasting product that required very little maintenance and is a perfect choice for a high traffic facility like this one.

"More Monsters Under the Bed" Carpet in ashlar pattern

(Bentley Prince Street)

Along with the innovative design and material selection, the ABC Building also features a long steel bridge connecting all three buildings together from the 2nd floor. As you can tell, the ABC Building is going to be an huge accomplishment in bringing green and sustainable design to higher education development. I can not wait to see it myself.

By: Jamia R.

References:

www.cwdriver.com

www.lpainc.com

www.bentleyprincestreet.com

www.formica.com

www.frazeepaint.com

www.tomkt.com

www.orangecoastcollege.edu

Read more »