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CASA BLANCA FAMILY LEARNING CENTER
RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
Completed in 2003, the Casa Blanca Family Learning Center is a 10,000-square foot state-of-the-art library. This is the first phase of a 4.5 acre development planned by the City of Riverside, which is master planned to include an Energy Resource and Customer Service Center for Riverside Public Utilities and a Community Arts Center. The three building complex is designed around a public plaza and water-wise garden. A photovoltaic generating station will cover a portion of the parking lot.
In addition to providing traditional circulating library materials, the Learning Center serves as a Community Center – a place for meetings, exhibitions, and musical and theatrical performances. The building provides classroom and instructional space to support programs of Riverside City College, including tutoring of elementary and high school students, English as a second language, and computer training. The Learning Center is designed so that the meeting and instructional facilities can function separately from the library.
All exterior walls of the building are constructed of concrete masonry units. The trellis piers and site walls are also constructed of CMU. Concrete masonry units were selected for their scale and appearance, seismic integrity, durability and energy efficiency. The building outperforms Title 24 by 30%. The Casa Blanca Family Learning Center received a $50,000 grant from Riverside Public Utilities for its energy efficient design. The adjacent Energy Resource and Customer Service Center will be constructed of similar concrete masonry units. Precision and burnished CMU are used for the building walls. Split-faced concrete masonry units are used for the site walls.
ARCHITECT:
JLP Architects, Inc.
3100
Airway Avenue, Suite 137
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
James
L. Pirdy, AIA
Principal
STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER:
Ishler Design and Engineering Associates
GENERAL
CONTRACTOR:
DKS Construction, Inc.
MASON:
Kretschmar & Smith, Inc.
OWNER:
Riverside Public Library
