October 2008

People and Places…This Week

At Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, the science and humanities classroom building has officially opened, inaugurating the campus. Parallax Associates of Culver City designed the building, which comprises the first phase of a master plan, also created by the firm, for the five-acre (two-hectare) campus.

The three-story, 53,000-square-foot (4,900-square meter) structure includes 23 classrooms, a library, art studios, and 11,000-square-foot (1,000-square-meter) science wing, and other facilities. A curved façade follows the line of the street. Sustainable features include a rainwater filtration system, dual-pane window with operable panels, perforated aluminum sun screens on south-facing elevations, and fluorescent lighting controlled by motion sensors.

Located on a hillside in the San Fernando Valley, the school is partially elevated, offering views of the valley and mountains. Vehicular traffic is restricted to street level, with a pedestrian-oriented campus above.