PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL SCHEMATIC DESIGN TO DESIGN DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION MEETING DATE: SUBJECT: 21 January 2010, 12:30pm-2:00pm Math/Social Sciences Department ATTENDEES: Radu Toma, Paly Math IS Aimee Lopez, OCMI Christopher Ades, DLM Heidi Rank, Gilbane Arne Lim, Paly Erwin Lee, DLM The following are the highlights of the meeting: 1. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the construction management team, represented by Heidi Rank (HR) of Gilbane Construction, who will be taking over from the program management team. The transition is taking place between the schematic design (SD) phase and the design development (DD) phase of the project. The construction management team will carry the project through completion and building occupancy. 2. A set of the schematic design drawings, approved by the Board of Education (BOE) at the 26 January 2010 meeting, was reviewed by the group. The schematic design set reflects the scope of work that was estimated and reported to the BOE. 3. The design team continued to develop the project beyond the schematic design phase including incorporating more recent comments that were received from the users as well as comments from the local fire authority. 4. The DD phase will have a check point against the budget. At that time, a value engineering exercise will take place to make sure that options are reviewed, evaluated and discussed to make sure that the project remains within budget. 5. The design team is working towards a submittal to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) in June 2010. 6. Aimee Lopez (AL) explained that the DD phase is where more detailed design and construction decisions are made. Any comments or thoughts regarding the design can still be sent via email to Erwin Lee (EL) at any time. 7. Christopher Ades (CA) presented a set of enlarged floor plans and interior elevations. The group studied them and discussion followed: Office Area (including Staff and Work areas) Arne Lim (Arne) noted that the separate hallway into the Admin area was not a Palo Alto HS Math/History Meeting 21 January 2010 P. 1
necessity, the custom now was to enter through the Resource Room, but he could understand why it was added for convenience to students and teachers. Radu Toma (RT) asked that doors to the two offices with angled walls at the Resource Room be changed to provide better space inside. Chris Ades (CA) pointed out that this isn t possible as the walls are too small and doors require space on either side to make them ADA accessible. HR noted that the small Administration Toilet/Shower on the 2 nd floor should be reviewed for accessibility. CA will review and adjust as necessary. HR asked if the gates along the hallway by the Staff Room were to be locked. Erwin Lee (EL) answered that they were on panic hardware for exiting purposes and could not be locked. They were meant to discourage student circulation behind the Staff Room. Arne asked if there would be separate AC controls at the teachers offices. EL answered that there were separate controls for the conference room and work area but not for the individual offices. Classrooms Radu Toma (RT) noted that classrooms along the exterior walls should have the cabinets beneath the exterior windows and would prefer if the counters extend from wall to wall. RT understood that length of base cabinet was limited per the budget and is satisfied with only the countertop continuing. CA agreed to incorporate these changes to the drawings. RT noted the need for long marker boards along adjacent walls and locating the teaching wall by the entry doors at exterior classrooms and by the teacher s office door at the core classrooms. RT reminded the group that at the perimeter classrooms the glass along the hallways should begin at 7-feet height to allow for marker boards below. Both RT and Arne wanted more glass for the core classrooms. They wanted the glass to extend to the floor but EL advised that there should be a one-foot high curb for safety. CA noted that the glass could wrap around the corners by the entry alcoves. Everyone agreed with these ideas. EL noted that the casework and counters for the core classrooms now needs to move to the opposite wall from the teaching wall as the hallway wall is glass. RT and AL agreed with this idea. EL drew some options for glass in a typical entry door and RT and Arne both liked the door design with glass insert in the top half. They also wanted glass transoms above the doors. In order to accommodate the changes, various entry doors and mechanical closets need to change position. Two mechanical closets by a brace frame will need to open into classrooms but RT didn t object as they re rarely used. EL noted that at perimeter classrooms the supply/return air ducts would be hidden in a soffit just above the mechanical closet. AL questioned whether a soffit was necessary as other piping and services were exposed. AL also questioned whether the ceilings should not have a more finished look. EL noted that acoustical deck was meant for the exposed sloped ceilings with clerestory windows. All the other classrooms would have a suspended acoustical ceiling. EL added that a suspended acoustical ceiling might be best for all the classrooms and that there shouldn t be much difference in cost. Palo Alto HS Math/History Meeting 21 January 2010 P. 2
Hallways & Exterior CA drew attention to four (4) skylights located over hallway windows with the exception of one which is over the drinking fountains. RT asked if this one could also move above a window area and CA agreed to move it. EL noted that in order to bring light to the first floor a glass floor could be designed directly below the skylights. This would be in lieu of solar tube which requires shaft space. DLM will study this option. RT liked the main stairway better but still thought it could be improved to minimize lost space in the triangular portion. He thinks that this entry plaza will receive a lot use as covered outdoor area. EL noted that DLM will review other possibilities. 8. CA noted that mechanical rooms may need to increase in size, from 4 x 4 to 5 x 5 pending final design from the mechanical engineer. 9. AL stated that the design will be updated and emailed to the team for review and comments. DLM will have a revised set of plans that should incorporate all the design decisions made today. This Design Development set of drawings becomes the basis for the final construction documents. These final documents are due to be issued to DSA for approval in June of 2010. END Prepared by Christopher Ades of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise if you feel that any of the above items are inaccurate or need further clarification or detail. cc: Attendees File Palo Alto HS Math/History Meeting 21 January 2010 P. 3