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Equitas Academy 5 & 6
Equitas Academy 5 & 6
Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Other Projects by Berliner Architects
Equitas Academy 5 & 6
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2022
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
BUDGET
$10M - 50M
Equitas Academy 5&6 is an adaptive reuse of a former armored car facility converted into two charter elementary schools and district administrative office spaces. Equitas Academy is in the Pico Union neighborhood directly adjacent to downtown Los Angeles. Formerly an upper- and middle-class residential neighborhood, the population now is primarily Salvadoran and Guatemalan immigrants seeking refuge from civil war in their countries. Equitas not only provides an excellent education for students but also a broad range of services including breakfast, lunch and dinner, family counseling, social services and micro loans to their families. Spaces are designed in the school to support this broad range of services, easily accessible at the entry, while providing safety to the students inside. This project transformed a formerly derelict building into a resource and gathering place that supports the community. Using color, graphics, and architectural elements, the building messages to the community that the school provides quality education and social services to all.
The 50,000SF, two-story, mostly windowless building was originally designed for an armored car service with spaces for a shooting range, large bank vaults, service bays, and offices. Our task was to create an uplifting learning environment through the introduction of natural light throughout, clear circulation, and spaces for a variety of learning styles and different size groups. The building now houses two 500 student K-4 elementary schools each with its own identity but sharing common facilities such as the playground, group meeting spaces, and a large multi-Purpose room. Each of the charters contains 12 classrooms and serve grades K-4.
The learning environment provides a combination of traditional classrooms connected to neighboring classrooms as well as the boulevard circulation spaces, creating a shared learning space. Angled central classroom walls create movement and texture within the Boulevards. Integrated seating was added around the stairwell to create comfortable breakout spaces. The Boulevard loop provides circulation with ample student display, large sidelights (to share light with interior classrooms), and easy wayfinding. The school entry is through a secure vestibule opening to the MPR and main stair which accesses the second-floor learning commons and adjacent playground.
By Inserting a large open playground above the MPR, surrounded by classrooms and shared learning spaces, natural light now penetrates deep into the building. This second-floor open-air play yard incorporates daylighting tubes in seating elements to help bring natural light to the first floor. Additionally, some classrooms open into this space.
We worked with a broad stakeholder group from concept through design development. The project required a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to change the occupancy from “B" to “E” which required significant community involvement in the design. Additionally, the project was designed during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and key features were implemented in response including, touchless restrooms without doors, touchless automatic doors at main entries, and upgrades to HVAC systems. Despite these challenges, the building stuck to a very tight budget.
This adaptive reuse project is inherently sustainable by reusing over 75% of the existing structure, 95% of the building enclosure and 50% of the utility’s infrastructure. Additionally, the tight budget allowed this building to be in the community where the students and their families live, minimizing transportation costs and energy expenditure.
The 50,000SF, two-story, mostly windowless building was originally designed for an armored car service with spaces for a shooting range, large bank vaults, service bays, and offices. Our task was to create an uplifting learning environment through the introduction of natural light throughout, clear circulation, and spaces for a variety of learning styles and different size groups. The building now houses two 500 student K-4 elementary schools each with its own identity but sharing common facilities such as the playground, group meeting spaces, and a large multi-Purpose room. Each of the charters contains 12 classrooms and serve grades K-4.
The learning environment provides a combination of traditional classrooms connected to neighboring classrooms as well as the boulevard circulation spaces, creating a shared learning space. Angled central classroom walls create movement and texture within the Boulevards. Integrated seating was added around the stairwell to create comfortable breakout spaces. The Boulevard loop provides circulation with ample student display, large sidelights (to share light with interior classrooms), and easy wayfinding. The school entry is through a secure vestibule opening to the MPR and main stair which accesses the second-floor learning commons and adjacent playground.
By Inserting a large open playground above the MPR, surrounded by classrooms and shared learning spaces, natural light now penetrates deep into the building. This second-floor open-air play yard incorporates daylighting tubes in seating elements to help bring natural light to the first floor. Additionally, some classrooms open into this space.
We worked with a broad stakeholder group from concept through design development. The project required a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to change the occupancy from “B" to “E” which required significant community involvement in the design. Additionally, the project was designed during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and key features were implemented in response including, touchless restrooms without doors, touchless automatic doors at main entries, and upgrades to HVAC systems. Despite these challenges, the building stuck to a very tight budget.
This adaptive reuse project is inherently sustainable by reusing over 75% of the existing structure, 95% of the building enclosure and 50% of the utility’s infrastructure. Additionally, the tight budget allowed this building to be in the community where the students and their families live, minimizing transportation costs and energy expenditure.
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