The new Space Shuttle Exhibit and Education Building was designed to serve the community with open, multi-functional spaces for exhibits and gatherings, experiential spaces for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math, (STEAM) , and ample, flexible room for various events.
The two-story volume of the space is amplified within the building envelope around the perimeter of the Shuttle Mock-up. A second floor mezzanine provides an elevated view as guests walk around the model, and supplemental exhibition space for future installations. The area below the mezzanine hosts utility spaces, offices, and a STEAM educational area that adapts to a Community Room with its own exterior entry access. One of the unique features of the Building is its responsive design to the Shuttle model, with raised architectural form and geometry to frame the standing Tail Section with a majestic geometry and glass façade, visible from beyond the site, that gestures toward the park and Space Center entry with dramatic illumination at night.
Activity spaces are situated to allow for engaging multiple functions, also maintaining separate group uses throughout the day, all with access to utility spaces. The restrooms are placed to provide the park with after-hours access.
Multiple entrances cue guests to various features and functions of the facility, with intuitive wayfinding to allow for self-guided exploration. A large, bi-fold door pays homage to the classic aerospace hanger, revealing a direct inside-outside connection, for community or private events.
The materiality of the building references the substantial strength and detail reflected in the finish of the Mock-up display; the building’s exterior metallic façade pairs with an interior of warm wood tones and exposed structural elements. The façade design harmonizes with the adjacent Space Center, while standing on it’s own with a unique architectural impression.
Westgroup Designs conducted a Community Outreach Meeting for the Visioning of Belmont Pier alongside a local Council Member. The team presented the guiding principles for the project, history of the pier, comparable examples, and imagery that represented design elements. The community members were encouraged to sign-in, write on comment cards, and provided a short Questions/Answer. Once the presentation was completed Westgroup conducted an “Imagery Board Study” through 6 boards with 9 images each showing various design elements, and community members were given stickers to place on the images representing positive and negative reactions. During this time the community was invited to ask questions about the boards with the team members, and were encouraged to have any additional notes written on the comment cards to be formally reviewed.
After the conclusion of the meeting, all information obtained was documented, analyzed, and summarized. The comment cards were evaluated for common topics and those topics were ranked by frequency of mentions. The Image board survey results were used to calculate which themes achieved positive or negative reactions. All the information gathered was used to inform preliminary concept alternatives that align with the inspirations positively received by the community.
In 2022, we decided to film a short high light reel of the Women of Westgroup. Westgroup is made up of many diverse women who fill multiple different roles. From accounting to architecture, each woman at Westgroup plays a special role in making this firm function as a whole. Happy International Women's Day!
Placing in the top 3 on the list, Westgroup Designs was selected for its quality of Leadership and Organization, Company Culture and Overall employee Trust and Satisfaction. Westgroup Designs dedicates this award to each and every one of its resourceful, collaborative employees who provides the value offered to our clients and project partners every day, who embody the firm’s values with compassion and integrity, and who approach every day with a great attitude, team spirit, passion for design and enthusiasm for discovery.
This county-wide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Orange County, California, benefiting the county's economy, its workforce and businesses. The ranking of the winning organizations was issued in a special section of the Orange County Business Journal’s October 26th issue.
About Westgroup Designs Westgroup Designs (WD) is a comprehensive Architecture, Planning, Interior Design and Branding firm headquartered in Irvine, California, with both National and International clients and projects. Founded in 1989, WD is a woman-owned business that values excellence; certain that the best results come from a strong partnership with clients, and high-quality work is a culmination of attitude & approach, enthusiasm for discovery and passion for design. WD leverages design as a tool to help clients achieve organizational goals and strengthen business outcomes. The firm’s expertise includes projects in Education, Commercial, Civic, Retail, Health & Wellness and Lifestyle sectors, from tenant improvement and renovation to new multi-story buildings and campuses.
The project is a 25,000 square foot, Pre-K to 6 educational facility for the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), focused on the goal of creating an inclusive 21st century neighborhood school with an innovative DREAMS curriculum (Design, Research, Engineering, Arts, Math and Science).
Citing the project’s sustainable concept for Adaptive Reuse and design quality, the AIA Jurors unanimously celebrated this project:
The design is well-considered, thoughtful, and nicely executed, including a playful slide that descends along the side of the building. Another great embodied carbon story that encourages the reuse of existing structures.”
The design team delivered a unique solution that would facilitate progressive hands-on learning for 225 students a year, and understand how this solution would enhance the community, leveraging the local climate to support indoor/outdoor educational activities with glazed retractable walls and highly flexible interior spaces. As part of the resilient design concept, WD focused on creating a healthier building, updating the design of the building skin, adding operable windows and a new ventilation system which exceeds energy requirements by 30% and provides 100% outside air for healthier indoor air quality.
Our responsibility as architects is to both dream and to build responsibly, Westgroup Designs Principal, Dr. Shazad Ghanbari said. “ This will be a transformational environment; an example for our next generation of emerging technology and learning experiences.”
Please join us in celebrating Sima and this achievement!
See original publication here.