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Lovonya de Jean Middle School
Richmond, California
Photography:
Steve Whittaker
The West Contra Costa Unified School District’s new Lovonya de Jean Middle School represents the desire of the people of Richmond to place the finest middle school in the state at the heart of their urban neighborhood. Their goal was to build an extremely durable facility with a sense of place and community pride, which would last one hundred years. Concrete masonry units were the natural choice for construction, because of the high quality, flexibility, and permanence.
Grey block of various textures and scoring patterns articulate the structures. The CMU’s are coated in warm colors with an elastomeric to appear inviting to the neighborhood and provide moisture protection in this rainy climate. Multiple colors of glazed CMU’s provide accents at key entrances and throughout the project. The block is exposed at the interior of the large public spaces for durability and to tie the interior and exterior together. CMU’s provide a human scale to a large campus and integrate successfully with the glass and steel imagery.
The campus is designed around a central quad area with ample student gathering spaces, seating, clear circulation, and landscaping. The Administration/Media Center Building is located at the main entrance to facilitate access and control. At the east side of the quad, two-story classroom buildings are designed to maximize limited site area. The large Physical Education/Multi-Use/ Performing Arts Building locates all of the shared functions in one area anchoring the west side of the campus quad, while providing easy after-hours access to the public from Harry Ells Way.
Architect:
WLC Architects,
Inc.
1250 45th Street, Suite 150
Emeryville, CA 94608
Robert J. Hensley,
AIA
Principal in Charge
Kevin A. MacQuarrie,
AIA
Principal & Project
Architect
Sharon Medina
Project Manager
Omar Eslava
Construction
Administration
Associate Architect:
DES Architects &
Engineers
399 Bradford Street
Redwood City, CA
92604
Keith Bautista, AIA
Principal
Structural
Engineer:
Johnson & Nielsen
Associates
General
Contractor:
Lathrop Construction Associates, Inc.
Masonry
Contractor:
Bratton Masonry
Block Producer:
Basalite Concrete Products,
LLC.
Owner:
West Contra Costa Unified School District
