PALOMAR COLLEGE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER C15-05-PID The Learning Resource Center will centralize the college s information services in one location and will become the focal point of campus, offering a continuum of interdisciplinary information media. The building program provides space for the library, academic technologies and a tutoring center. The program components are stacked into four floors in the building, giving it enough presence to create a gateway into the campus.
C15-05-PID A 4 1 5 SITE PLAN The college campus is sited on a hillside offering panoramic views across the small coastal valley of San Marcos. The LRC elevates over neighboring buildings to take advantage of these views. 1 LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER 2 2 HUMANITIES BUILDING MD BUILDING 0 50 4 TEACHING AND LEARNING CENTER 5 STUDENT PLAZA SECTION A 1 5 2
C15-05-PID CONTEXT Most of the existing campus buildings were designed during the 50 s and 60 s with simple forms, repetitive structure and durable materials (mainly cast-inplace concrete and the deep red Palomar brick which is found in every building). The project establishes a dialogue with this context by taking some of the design principles that define the surrounding architecture: Simple and bold forms with distinctive material layering. 7 2 ARTICULATION PROGRAM AS FORM GENERATOR 9 5 6 8 4 1 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9
C15-05-PID 6 9 10 11 A 11 B 2 TECHNOLOGY LEVEL 4 SKY LEVEL 2 9 1 7 4 A 8 5 B 1 EARTH LEVEL 0 50 TUTORING LEVEL 1 CIRCULATION / REFERENCE 2 DIGITAL RESOURCES OPEN READING AREA 4 ARCHIVE ROOM 5 SPECIAL LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES 6 ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY 7 TUTORING CENTER 8 LIBRARY TECHNICAL SERVICES 9 BOOK STACKS 10 STUDY ROOM 11 MEETING ROOM FLOOR PLANS The site s shape and reduced footprint determined the configuration of three of the building sides, freeing the fourth (south facade) to be recessed or projected over the plaza space outside according to each floor program size requirements.
EXTERIOR VIEWS The library portion of the Learning Resource Center is located on both the ground floor and the top floor to take advantage of the magnificent views of the surrounding San Marcos hills. Inspired by Palomar s reputation as a center for sky observation, the top floor was conceived as an observation deck, locating all reading areas to face the nearby Mount Whitney and the distant views of the coastal valley. C15-05-PID BUILDING COMPONENTS
VISUAL NAVIGATION C15-05-PID The entry lobby was designed as a fourstory high open atrium connecting all the building layers in one space. Here, users are encouraged to access information by means of visual navigation. An internal glass façade visually connects but acoustically separates the activities of every floor. At each level of this transparent wall, graphic displays reveal the floor functions to users below and outside.
CAMPUS MATERIALS 1 2 4 5 4 1 2 C15-05-PID NORTH ELEVATION EAST ELEVATION 1. terracotta rainscreen 2. aluminum panel system. aluminum sunshade 4. high performance low-e glazing 5. metal column cover 1 2 4 5 1 2 5 4 WEST ELEVATION SOUTH ELEVATION
The LRC exemplifies the idea of campus building through the use of an established and simple new campus material palette composed of terracotta tile, metal panel and glass. The project ties into the visual vocabulary established by the recently completed neighboring 1. Humanities building, 2. Multi-disciplinary building, and. Teaching and Learning Center. At the same time, it expresses its unique program and place as a major destination on campus. C15-05-PID CAMPUS BUILDING 1 2
STUDENT DESTINATION The LRC is centrally located at the main campus interchange between the two major vertical and horizontal pedestrian crossroads. The 4-story glass-enclosed atrium lobby opens up visually to this student hub to reveal and put on display its different programs, thus becoming the epicenter of campus activity. C15-05-PID
C15-05-PID photovoltaic array on roof to offset 20% of building s energy consumption earth friendly materials with recycled content, that are recyclable and virtually maintenance free light shelves bounce daylight deep into reading rooms bioretention ponds treat 100% of site water run-off natural ventilation via operable windows SUSTAINABILITY