What if I told you that this Instructional Building is more than just bricks and mortar? It’s a gateway to the future. This building at Los Angeles Pierce College is the Academic East building. Or simply AEB. It is poised to become a bustling hub for the science community.
The Academic East building will soon stand north of the campus. Right where the athletic practice fields are now. Imagine a two-story structure spanning approximately 56000 square feet.
The AEB responds to the existing landscape. It integrates with the adjacent buildings and amenities. This creates a unified campus design. It will become a new prominent face of Los Angeles Pierce College.
The building houses the math, psychology, and computer science programs. It also provides general instructional and study spaces. The AEB aims to expose students to diverse program offerings. This will encourage cross-disciplinary synergies.
Three guiding principles shaped the design: identity, diversity, and integration. These converge to create a complete facility. The facility enhances the campus context. The Academic East building offers a dedicated entry. It has an image and experience. These build a sense of community among students and faculty. An intimate courtyard leads to the main entrance. The central lobby creates a special campus hub.
The layout aids intuitive wayfinding. It provides easy orientation within the building. An arcade offers outdoor shaded study areas. Here students can study alone or in groups. The design responds to the diversity of programs. It provides a variety of collaboration spaces for different learning styles. From collaborative lobby spaces to intimate outdoor patios around the stairs.
The main hub opens to an intimate courtyard space. This is a destination for science. Here students can relax, collaborate, and hang out. It’s easily accessible from the classrooms and labs. Students spend much of their day there.
Connection to campus is a key consideration. An entry plaza collects pedestrian circulation. It links them to the main building entrance. Each program connects to the central courtyard. Yet each has distinctive experiences.
The two-story lobby brings programs together. It serves as a center for collaboration. Also idea exchange and innovation. With the strategic placement of collaborative areas, the AEB acts like a magnet. It draws all different constituents toward the center.
The Academic East building is designed to be more than just a place of learning. It is designed to be a community. It is a place where students can connect. Connect with each other. Connect with their studies. Connect with their future. Remember the Academic East building. It is a place where identity, diversity, and integration converge.