daly genik architects: ACCD south campus

‘ACCD south campus’ by daly genik architects in pasadena, california, USA all images courtesy daly genik architects image © nic lehoux

‘ACCD south campus’ by santa monica-based practice daly genik architects is the first in a planned series of buildings for the art center college of design in pasadena, california, USA. housed within a former wind tunnel structure and, later, a kitchen appliance factory, the renovation project seeks to simplify the original floor plan by spatially connecting the different elements of the building as well as reflect the school’s history of innovation by using technological advances in both design and engineering.

exterior view image © benny chan / fotoworks

originally a consortium of five aircraft companies that housed the world’s first supersonic wind tunnels, the structure was later taken over by the dacor corporation who utilized the central structure as its main factory with additional work structures built around it. as a result, the building had very little windows as well as access from the street. the new design features a series of three-dimensional skylights that bright in light from the roof to naturally illuminate the classrooms and studios within. keeping in mind the ideal light condition for drawing and design studio instructions, the system was created for filtered light and environmental control. utilizing a series of compressors, three thin printed layers of a teflon-coated polymer can be inflated or deflated to adjust the amount of light and heat entering the space below. comprised of translucent ETFE films stretched on to a structural frame, the skylight system does not add superfluous weight onto the roof.

street view image © benny chan / fotoworks

to conserve the industrial identity of the building, the majority of the interior is minimally touched with exposed elements throughout. to maximize the amount of sunlight gained from the skylights, the circulation space is left open to overlook levels below, and partial-height wall units are utilized within programs.

sky light from the street image © benny chan / fotoworks

green roof image © benny chan / fotoworks

entry at night image © nic lehoux

interior view of entry image © nic lehoux

class and gallery space image © grant mudford

image © grant mudford

(left) studio space (right) view of roof light images © benny chan / fotoworks

image © benny chan / fotoworks

exterior view of courtyard image © nic lehoux

exterior staircase image © benny chan / fotoworks

roof level (left) image © nic lehoux (right) image © benny chan / fotoworks

aerial view image © benny chan / fotoworks

skylight diagram

project info:

principal-in-charge: kevin daly design team: christopher genik, tomaso bradshaw, brian wickersham, jared ward, jerome christensen, victor agran, krystal chang, adela ho, mi sun lim, tom robinson, john martin, joshn kenin, susan benningfield, ian ferguson, chia-hung wang, aaron whelton

MEP: ideas for the built environment civil engineering: KFPP structural engineering courtyard: gilsanz murray steficek structural engineering building reinforcing: englekirk & sabol structural engineering skylights: arup landscape: nancy goslee power & associates code consulting: schirmer engineering corporation sustainability: loisos + ubbelohde graphic design: bruce mau design, inc. signage: hunt design associates acoustics: mckay conant brook, inc. AV: shen milson wilke/paoletti contractor: turner special projects construction management: lowe enterprises