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DIABLO VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL – NEW GYMNASIUM
CLAYTON, CALIFORNIA
Photography:
Jim Patton
Jury
Comments: The building is nicely sited and the
choice of masonry blends well with the existing buildings.
By capping the masonry walls with translucent wall panels,
the gymnasium receives an abundance of natural light, while
the overall scale of the building is lowered to complement
the rest of the buildings on the campus.
The Diablo View Middle School is a small campus
originally constructed in 1991 at the foot of the Mt. Diablo
State Park. The original design, by the same architect,
established the aesthetic of masonry construction,
reflecting the community’s pride in its agrarian
heritage. The design follows multiple cues established by
the existing middle school campus. Masonry walls and metal
roofs, along with the white trim, are the main elements
establishing the rural feel. The gymnasium incorporates a
hip roof with four masonry towers at the corners connected
by a single large truss at each side. A continuous band of
translucent panels follows the trusses flooding the
gymnasium with natural light. For most of the day, the
lights can remain off due to the natural light.
The use of integrally colored concrete masonry throughout the facility’s interior and exterior gives the building its warmth and, more importantly for a school facility, it provides very low maintenance and high durability. The interior use of masonry is a critical feature of the locker shower complex, the community rooms and ancillary facilities.
The facility’s main entry is an open-air pavilion that is oriented towards the quadrangle of the existing campus. After school hours and on weekends, the facility is accessed opposite the campus to avoid public entry to the non-public campus buildings. The inherent constant academic and community demands of this facility highlight the need for a material as accommodating and forgiving as integral colored concrete masonry.
ARCHITECT:
Deems Lewis McKinley
12
Gough Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Erwin
F. Lee, AIA
Principal
STRUCTURAL
ENGINEER:
Deems Lewis McKinley
GENERAL
CONTRACTOR:
Sierra Bay Contractors, Inc.
MASONRY
CONTRACTOR:
E & S Masonry
BLOCK
SUPPLIER:
Basalite Concrete Products, LLC
OWNER:
Mt Diablo Unified School District
