| The building was constructed in the early 1960’s for the American Red Cross as a single story building fronting Magnolia Boulevard and later receiving additions along Magnolia and Glenwood Place, which form its current ‘L’ shape configuration. Surface parking is accessed from an alley behind the building and as result of the parking location a secondary entry from the North is utilized. As a result of the existing building’s low ceilings, it had exposed rooftop ducting and HVAC equipment along the North face of the building. The vocabulary of the existing South side of the building consisted of horizontal lines and interlocking planes.
Our client, a Local for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, requested that we reinforce the building’s existing vocabulary and also create an energy efficient building. The program consisted mainly of a Business Membership Area which connects with both points of entry, Offices and a large Membership Room with adjoining Kitchen for pancake breakfasts.
The existing roof structure consisted of wood joists that were modified from a gable to a shed in order to increase the amount of photovoltaic panels along the South-West exposure and the roof at the center of the building where both legs of the ‘L’ shape come together was reconstructed to accommodate an insulated glass skylight system over the Business Membership and Entry/Waiting Areas and also a much needed mechanical equipment area. The design incorporates environmentally friendly active and passive systems, including a rain wall on the South exposure, photovoltaic panels along the Glenwood side (panels were not installed on the Magnolia facing roof as a result of shade from existing street trees), sunshades, natural day lighting; SEER 18 HVAC equipment; recycled construction materials and LED lighting. At the time the photos were taken, some of the linear LED fixtures had been delayed during fabrication and accordingly some temporary fixtures are shown in the photos.
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