Project in Detail
Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure
Santa Monica, United States of America
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners, Santa Monica, United States of America
2008
World Architecture Festival 2008 - Shortlisted
John Edward Linden - John Edward Linden Photography
Civic Gateway:
A recently completed Master Plan for the Civic Center designates a new civic gateway to a new Civic district that includes the renovated historic City Hall, Courthouse, and the Public Safety Building. Intended as an integral part that completes a quadrant of civic buildings, the new structure provides 900 parking spaces on six levels above grade and two below grade while visually uniting the tableau of diverse buildings. The design team was additionally challenged to create a building that exemplified the city's commitment to sustainable design while strengthening the urban fabric and providing public amenities. One of the challenges for this project is to create architecture out of a common building type--one that is not generally associated with high design standards. The design addresses this standard service amenity by viewing it from a fresh perspective and taking it to a higher level where it can have a positive influence on its surroundings. The structure offers a visually memorable arrival point and gateway to the new Civic Center, street-level retail and café amenities, spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the city, a garden, and a sense of personal safety.
An Urban Solution:
The varied amenities incorporated into the Parking Structure allow the designed mass to function beyond its service capacity. The four sides of the building acknowledge the individual urban contexts, thus serving as a fully designed urban presence. Small retail spaces at the pedestrian level expand the building's civic edge, creating a destination as well as a gateway. A lively café on the main plaza terrace animates the pedestrian flow into and out of the heart of the Civic Center. The garden and a commissioned work of art highlight both the inside and the outside of the building, making it more hospitable to the community than an ordinary parking structure.
A Sustainable Structure:
The building functions as an efficient sustainable designed structure. Photovoltaic panels on the roof provide much of the building's energy needs. The array of angled panels serves to accentuate the skyline and provides a memorable symbol for the Civic Center.. All façades allow natural ventilation and illumination to enter all parking floors. The ceilings are painted white to maximize the quality of light and airiness. Multicolored glass panels welcome day-lighting into the Parking Structure, decreasing the amount of artificial light that is generally needed for this type of building while adding a glowing beauty to the interior by day and a luminous exterior by night. The structure becomes a sensor and vessel of light, colors, and patterns, ranging from transparent to translucent.
Increased Safety and Security:
The design incorporates several features that provide comfort, safety, and security for users of the Parking Structure. Parking is organized on eight floors, accessed via a centralized circulation spine. The elevator core and stairs are positioned with respect to the two major pedestrian paths in the Civic Center campus. Access and exits have been consolidated at two corners of the building which serve as a control point to efficiently channel both pedestrian and vehicular traffic towards destination points. The reflective surface of the façade can be illuminated after sunset to glow as a shimmering curtain, providing defensible space through a pleasing ambient light.
A Unique Presence: Material Palette.
The design does not disguise the utilitarian nature of the building, but instead seeks to celebrate this aspect as part of the design aesthetic. Automobiles, from their colors, types, and movement, are integrated as elements in the overall design strategy. The design solution uses colored laminated glass channels, photovoltaic panels, ribbed pre-cast concrete panels, and steel mesh to render a unique civic presence. The dynamic integration of these materials makes the structure function as an urban curtain in its vibrant context.
Lead Architect »
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
Santa Monica
United States of America
Professional Credits »
Architect
Mr James Mary O' Connor, Prinicipal, AIA
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400 ext 240
joconnor@mryarchitects.com
Architect in-house Team
Ms Pooja Bhagat, Associate
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400
pbhagat@mryarchitects.com
Architect in-house Team
Mr Haruyuki Yokoyama
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
Architect- Project Manager & Associate
Mr Halil Dolan, Associate
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400
hdolan@mryarchitects.com
Architect-in-house Team
Mr Tim Feigenbutz
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400
Architect-in-house Team
Mr Tony Tran
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400
ttran@mryarchitects.com
Artist
Mr Mark Lere
Mark Lere
United States of America
213 673 4400
Civil Engineer
Mr Craig Johnson
RBF Consulting
United States of America
949 855 5797
cjohnson@rbf.com
Client / Developer
Ms Lauren Friedman
City of Santa Monica
United States of America
310 458 8301
lauren-friedman@santamonica.org
Color and Materials Specilaist
Ms Kaoro Orime, Associate
Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners
United States of America
310 450 1400
korime@mryarchitects.com
Construction Manager
Mr Robert York
The JCM Group
United States Minor Outlying Islands
310 474 6868
Executive Architect
Ms Dirmaili Botejue
International Parking Design Inc
United States of America
949 595 8004
dbotejue@oc.ipd-global.com
Geo Technical Engineer
Mr Edward Hill
Geotechnologies, Inc.
United States of America
818 240 9600
ehill@geoteg.com
Glazing Engineers
Mr Alan Brown
Werner Systems
United States of America
714 838 4444
Landscape Architect
Mr Mike Williams
Melendrez Design Partners
United States of America
213 673 4400
mwilliams@melendrez.com
Lighting Consultant
Mr Francis Krahe
Francis Krahe & Associates
United States of America
213 617 0477
fjkrahe@fkaild.com
Main Contractor
Mr Darrin Nutter
ARB, Inc.
United States of America
949 454 7123
dnutter@arbinc.com
Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Engineer
Mr Emil Popov
Popov Engineers Inc
United States of America
949 752 0121
Specifications Consultant
Ms Lyle Dale
Lyle Dale
United States of America
714 836 4110
Sustainability Consultant
Mr Marc Cohen
CTG Energetics Inc.
United States of America
949 790 0010
mcohen@CTGEnergetics.com