Learning is fundamentally social, and sometimes the best way to inspire learning is through play. On Saturday, April 30th, Westgroup Designs (WD), along with 48 other companies, participated in Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF)’s Second Annual STEAM Carnival. This year’s event attracted over 3,000 attendees, featuring hands-on games and activities to local students related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
WD challenged students to solve their activity, Cubies, a 3D virtual puzzle. Children in kindergarten through 8th grade had to recreate a stack of 3D blocks using 2D orthographic drawings [top view, front view, side view.] Depending on the age and skill level of the student, the puzzle ranged from an easy composition of 4 blocks to several blocks of varying shapes. After a brief tutorial of 2D orthographic drawings and how they relate to the 3D virtual blocks, the students used the touchscreen display to rearrange the blocks in order to solve the puzzle.
Prizes included keychain Rubix cubes and a LEGO Architecture set of the New York skyline.
Funds raised from the IPSF STEAM Carnival go towards schools in the Irvine Unified School District and support district-wide programs such as Classroom Support, Fine Arts, Music, and Science, grants to teachers in the classroom, Summer Enrichment program and more.
To learn more about Irvine Public Schools Foundation, click here.
Due to extensive experience and positive relationship with DSA, Westgroup Designs was contacted and immediately took on this 19,662 square foot, fast-track restoration project to repair the buildings affected by fire, smoke and water damage. In close collaboration with DSA, structural approvals were obtained in one week so the restoration process could move forward immediately. The structural upgrades have already been completed, allowing the high school to reopen the cafeteria, kitchen, and auditorium. These places had suffered both water and smoke damage from the fire.
Portables have been integrated for the displaced classrooms and WD is moving forward with building restorations and replacements, including new finishes, cabinetry and furniture. Westgroup continues to keep the pace on this time-sensitive project, with construction scheduled to begin in February.
With the most recent purchase of the 155,000 sf Canyon Corporate Center, Hines is one of Orange County’s five largest office landlords on a square footage basis with an office portfolio that tops 3 million square feet. Hines is a global real estate investment firm with a presence in 19 countries and a portfolio totaling 531 properties, representing over 186 million square feet.
Hines has a robust redevelopment vision for the former Fisker Headquarters and
sought an Architecture and Interior Design team that could partner with them to “transform the [1970s office building] into one of the most unique and differentiated office environments in the Anaheim Canyon submarket.” Westgroup Designs was excited to take on the design challenge.
Westgroup Designs developed conceptual design options for the Canyon Corporate Center that would strengthen business outcomes for Hines, honing in on the goal of attracting flex-office and creative-office tenants. Specifically, WD proposed strategic improvements to interior and exterior spaces, with a focus on flexible tenant spaces, engaging common areas, place-making building facades and pedestrian-centric outdoor areas.
Hines and Westgroup Designs are immediately moving forward into design development with construction scheduled to commence later this year.
To learn more, read the Hines' press release here.
Read the original OCBJ article here.
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Westgroup Designs’ new office transformed from commercial modern to the dapper twenties; with jazz musicians strumming and crooning, cards and dice in the casinos, and plenty of ritz to go around.
Looking stunning in their 1920’s attire, “men and women came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (F Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby). With a variety of activities, guests could gamble in the casinos, dance the night away with live music provided by a talented jazz trio, dabble in the dapper photobooth, and gaze into the future through WD’s 3D Virtual Reality ViewMaster.
Feathery, fringed, and dripping with pearls; the night replicated that of the Great Gatsby- rich in details and heaps of fun! To see more photos from the night, click here.
For more Westgroup Designs updates, check us out on Instagram and Twitter.
WD is at the finish line for construction for the San Diego International Airport Taxi Terminal and Offices, opening January 18, 2016. WD's design of the new building provides a space for the employees of the airport taxis and rental car buses to rest between shifts. It also acts as a connection for bus drivers to the airport. A key design feature includes an enclosed patio with a stainless steel ornamental screen, connecting both exterior and interior which allows for natural light to enter in. An oasis of landscaping around the building will provide a shelter from noise to create a place of tranquility for employees.
The new 3,700 sf building has separate break rooms for taxi and rental car bus drivers and training room for rental car bus drivers that overlooks the runway. In addition, the new airport taxi terminal changes taxi drivers' queue and payment systems for airport access, and provides a space for drivers to have access to the new Consolidated Car Rental Center (CONRAC). This center replaces 85 separate rental car buses with just 16 constantly circulating buses, which in return will clear out the airport traffic lanes, bettering the flow of the airport.
WD's resulting design enhances both the day-to-day working experience of employees and the airport's taxi and bus operations.
Students and staff at the Frank Bland Regional Training Center in San Bernardino will return to their training programs in an expanded, modern facility with state-of-the-art digital technology.
The Frank Bland Regional Training Center has provided essential law enforcement training to Sheriff’s Deputies and officers throughout the State since 1973. As a recognized leader in progressive law enforcement training by Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, the Training Center graduates an average of 300 students each year between its programs.
View the original article from San Bernardino County.