Los Alamitos, CA — August 27, 2025
As the sun dipped below the horizon on Wednesday evening, a father paused outside the newly opened Griffin Center to snap a photo of his son standing proudly in front of the glowing griffin. The illuminated emblem cast colorful light across the boy’s back, capturing more than just a picture. It was a shared moment of school pride, community spirit, and family connection.
Yesterday, August 27, 2025, marked the official ribbon-cutting for the Los Alamitos Unified School District’s newest campus addition. The Griffin Center is a 34,000 square foot, state-of-the-art athletics and events facility, and the second ground-up project completed in partnership with architecture firm Westgroup Designs.
The event welcomed students, families, board members, and staff for an open house tour of the building. Guests explored the expansive three-court gymnasium, 2,000 seat retractable bleachers, four team rooms, weight training suite, and indoor-outdoor concessions. At the heart of the facility is the Hall of Champions, a double-height glass-enclosed lobby that celebrates the school’s storied athletic legacy and sets the stage for future generations of Griffins.
Westgroup Designs CEO, Sima Hassani, delivered remarks during the ceremony, thanking the District’s leadership and facilities team for their trust and coordination throughout the design and construction process. “The Griffin Center is more than a building,” Hassani shared. “It is a bold statement of what Los Alamitos values most: excellence, opportunity, and pride.”
She added, “The building tells a story through its very form. At the entry, the abstract geometry of the canopy suggests the powerful motion of a Griffin’s wing. It is a symbolic tribute to the school’s mascot and enduring spirit of athletic pride.”
Superintendent, Dr. Andrew Pulver, echoed those sentiments, adding:
“Westgroup Designs… brought vision and heart to this project—and, honestly, have you seen a high school gym ever look like this? I have not… As soon as you come up the driveway, you can’t help but see this Griffin pride.”
The Griffin Center was intentionally designed to serve more than just athletics. It supports PE classes, student assemblies, community events, and performances. For the first time, outdoor sports now benefit from access to restrooms and concessions. The project reflects the District’s Four A’s framework: Academics, Athletics, Activities, and the Arts, ensuring equity, flexibility, and long-term value.
“This is a place where every student can grow, physically, mentally, and emotionally,” Hassani said. “We are truly honored to be part of this journey and look forward to supporting the District’s continued vision.”
Throughout the evening, the excitement was palpable. ASB students who had joined the project photography team were thrilled to explore the finished facility. They commented on the scale of the space, noting how much larger it felt than the old gym, and eagerly asked what new project might be next.
With the Griffin Center now open, Los Alamitos High School gains more than a new building. It gains a destination. A space that strengthens school pride, supports student life, and stands as a symbol of community investment for years to come.
Westgroup Designs is proud to announce its selection as the design firm for Riverside City College’s new state-of-the-art Cosmetology Building, an anchor project in the Riverside Community College District’s (RCCD) bold investment in the future of career and technical education. The transformative facility is among the first to be funded by RCCD’s recently approved $954 million bond measure, signaling a district-wide commitment to innovation, equity, and workforce development.
WD brings decades of experience in higher education design and will lead both the architectural and interior vision for the new facility. More than just a learning environment, the building will immerse students in a professional, real-world salon setting complete with modern learning labs, interactive client spaces, and industry-aligned technologies that support excellence, hygiene, and hands-on learning.
“Our team is deeply honored to partner with RCCD on a project that merges educational excellence with design innovation and industry relevance,” said PariSima Hassani, CEO and Managing Principal of Westgroup Designs. “With our interdisciplinary approach and the unique insight of an in-house licensed cosmetologist, we are distinctly positioned to design a facility that not only reflects RCCD’s mission, but also embodies student success and advancement.”
The design will be shaped through close collaboration with RCC faculty, staff, and students, ensuring the new facility supports the college’s academic goals and creates a pathway to meaningful careers.
Supporting WD is a seasoned team of consultants, including Pezeshki Engineering, IMEG, VCA Engineers, Ridge Landscape Architects, Veneklasen Associates, and OCMI each bringing deep expertise in DSA-compliant, high-performing educational environments across California. With design efforts already underway, the new Cosmetology Building is poised to become a landmark of RCCD’s facilities modernization, an inspiring blend of innovation, community, and opportunity under one roof.
Spring Training is upon us, and the Fillmore High School Varsity Baseball Field is ready for future champions to hit it out of the park!
Our team scored a home run with the recently completed varsity-level facility, featuring dugouts, bullpens, bleachers, and everything needed to train the next generation of athletes. While the Fillmore Varsity Baseball Field is game-ready, our work continues on the Fillmore High School Athletic Complex—bringing a 3-court gym, locker rooms, wrestling room, and training spaces to life.
We're proud to deliver projects that shape the future of sports and empower student-athletes to achieve their best. Play ball!
In partnership with Neff Construction, Inc., Westgroup Designs proudly hosted a successful fundraiser on October 3rd, raising over $50,000 for Prop-2 to benefit California School Districts. We are deeply grateful to our generous sponsors and esteemed guest speakers from Anaheim Union HSD, Long Beach USD, Santa Ana USD, and Moreno Valley USD. Together, we are committed to enhancing educational environments and shaping the future of learning.
Thank you all for your tremendous support!
WD is a 2024 Platinum Bond Contributor.
This past weekend, members of our team participated in the Susan G. Komen MORE THAN PINK Walk, joining thousands in support of a world without breast cancer. We are especially proud of one of our designers, Izzy Guevara, CID, who raised over $450. As she shared, “I decided to participate in this year’s More Than Pink Walk to honor loved ones, especially my abuelita, and everyone impacted by breast cancer. Through my fundraising efforts, I aim to raise awareness and help us get closer to finding a cure.”
We are grateful to be part of this meaningful event and to contribute to an important cause.
Westgroup Designs is honored to be recognized by the Orange County Business Journal as a 2023 Companies That Care Honoree for going above and beyond for the OC community through philanthropic efforts and accomplishments.
We believe in embracing a work culture that values giving back. Every day, our staff strives to be an integral part of the world in which we live and work by volunteering, sponsoring, supporting and partnering with organizations in the region to help those in need including Veterans, children and families in crisis, animal shelters, public health, and more.
Westgroup Designs was also honored earlier this year by National Philanthropy Day Orange County.
