New Possibilities in STEM & Research at Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College Buena Vista Building | Glendale, California
The ground-up new Buena Vista science building is a five-story 97,000-sq.-ft. facility, consisting of 31 science labs and support spaces, 3,000-sq.-ft. science academy, a 125-seat stepped lecture hall, 30 faculty offices, two department chair offices, a student-centric collaboration space on each floor, an open lounge, and additional indoor and outdoor collaboration spaces.
About the
Project
The Buena Vista building represents a bold leap forward for Glendale Community College. Additional features include an outdoor workspace, cadaver room, chemical storage areas, and a total of 68 fume hoods that serve the laboratories. The newly constructed building addresses the College’s need for biological and physical sciences teaching and laboratory spaces that adhere to current operational and safety standards.
“The beautiful Glendale Community College campus flows down a hillside. However, this topography makes it difficult to carve out enough flat land to build compared to open, flat campuses [...] To prepare the Buena Vista building footprint, we built a large shoring wall and removed thousands of cubic yards of material.”
Jeff Trueman, Project Executive
DPR Construction
CONSTRUCTABILITY
Challenges & Solutions
Wall System
DPR encountered limited access where the wall system against the shoring walls was not feasible as originally designed. Collaborating with a trade partner, both teams conducted meetings to explore alternative approaches that aligned with the project’s intent while minimizing concerns from the Department of State Architects (DSA). Ultimately, a Change Contract Document (CCD) was approved, providing a cost-neutral solution and preventing potential delays.
Lab Lighting System
DPR developed creative strategies to reduce project schedule delays and cost impacts, particularly addressing challenges related to the proposed lab lighting system design and seismic bracing requirements identified in a DSA observation report for the ACT ceilings. To prevent major schedule disruptions caused by congestion with pre-coordinated above-ceiling MEP systems, DPR promptly collaborated with electrical and ACT trade partners to devise and implement an alternative solution that met DSA standards.
Laser Scanning & Drone Technologies
DPR's Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team exceeded minimal contractual expectations by proactively addressing civil, mechanical, architectural, and structural issues, resulting in time and cost savings for the Design Team and the College.
The project, situated on a hillside surrounded by campus buildings and residential apartments, utilized cutting-edge laser scanning and drone technologies to create a digital model, optimizing retaining wall excavation and identifying sequencing conflicts.
CONSTRUCTABILITY
Challenges & Solutions
Wall System
DPR encountered limited access where the wall system against the shoring walls was not feasible as originally designed. Collaborating with a trade partner, both teams conducted meetings to explore alternative approaches that aligned with the project’s intent while minimizing concerns from the Department of State Architects (DSA). Ultimately, a Change Contract Document (CCD) was approved, providing a cost-neutral solution and preventing potential delays.
Lab Lighting System
DPR developed creative strategies to reduce project schedule delays and cost impacts, particularly addressing challenges related to the proposed lab lighting system design and seismic bracing requirements identified in a DSA observation report for the ACT ceilings. To prevent major schedule disruptions caused by congestion with pre-coordinated above-ceiling MEP systems, DPR promptly collaborated with electrical and ACT trade partners to devise and implement an alternative solution that met DSA standards.
Laser Scanning & Drone Technologies
DPR's Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team exceeded minimal contractual expectations by proactively addressing civil, mechanical, architectural, and structural issues, resulting in time and cost savings for the Design Team and the College.
The project, situated on a hillside surrounded by campus buildings and residential apartments, utilized cutting-edge laser scanning and drone technologies to create a digital model, optimizing retaining wall excavation and identifying sequencing conflicts.
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