The California State University Los Angeles Student Housing East (CSULA SHE) will be a new student housing facility, expanding dormitory capacity to accommodate approximately 1,500 additional students on campus. This transformative complex will offer traditional double and triple residence units for freshman and sophomore housing. The roughly 1,500 bed residence will include many amenities and gathering spaces such as: a fitness center, lounges, wellness room, laundry facilities, advanced vending machines, a kitchen, collaborative and independent study rooms, administrative spaces, and community and multi-purpose rooms. The project will also feature a new dining facility of approximately 20,000 square feet that will incorporate both a new and existing student housing dining program.

Additionally, this construction effort will include some enhancements on the site that will improve circulation between these dorms and the campus core. The most exciting element is a new 112 foot long pedestrian bridge and 80 foot tall stair/elevator tower to provide quick and easy access for students traveling to and from the housing complex, especially those with disabilities, as the site of the new center is significantly lower in elevation than the main campus.

While we look forward to the opening of this impactful project, the CSULA SHE building is still under construction. As of writing, the enclosure is fully complete except for some windows strategically left open for ease of construction. The elevator cores are nearing completion, and all floors have their basic structures built out. The interiors are being painted as quickly as the framers are finishing interior partitions. Other finishes, such as carpets, tiles and doors, are also being installed signaling the final stages before completion.

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True Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) construction projects are rare and require an exceptional team to deliver the rigorous demands of a collaborative team that utilizes lean methodology to maximize operational efficiencies while working under a multi-party risk/reward contract. It takes an extraordinary building to inspire such a team, led by efforts from the Caltech ownership team, to create a new typology of on-campus living.

The 211-bed Bechtel Residence, named after life trustee Stephen D. Bechtel Jr., kicked off in 2016 and was officially opened September 17, 2019, as the first new undergraduate housing facility to open on campus in over 20 years. Caltech approached the program with the goal to provide housing for all of their undergraduate students on campus for the duration of their studies. This multiuse residence houses undergraduates from all class levels along with two faculty in residence, a half-dozen graduate resident associates, and a residential life coordinator. This new construction frees up off campus space for graduate student housing, enhancing student life both on and off campus.

The IPD delivery included a Tri-Party agreement between Caltech and our construction and design partners MATT Construction and ZGF Architects. KPFF was part of the Risk/Reward Team under the architect’s prime IPD agreement and participated in the Incentive Compensation Layer (ICL) of the contract. The design and construction team depended on trust and financial transparency of each team member as individual profit for each team member depended on the overall performance by the team to meet the Final Target Cost at the construction completion of the project. This agreement kept the team focus on clear communication and collective problem solving in a supportive environment to achieve the required milestones. The design of the new residence encourages and enhances the collaboration and communal housing culture already on campus, while simultaneously offering residents new types of dormitory spaces intended for maximizing the collective experience.

The six distinct buildings that make up the compound are all three-story structures surrounding a protected courtyard that acts as an outdoor living room. Influence by the landscape of the Pasadena area, the 105,000 SF buildings work seamlessly together to respond to site conditions, bring variability and visual interest from any vantage point. Student bedrooms are organized into suites of four to 12 with shared facilities such as restrooms and living spaces. Like many luxury multifamily complexes built today, there are a variety of amenity and community spaces including kitchens, lounges, conference rooms and study areas of different sizes. A beautifully appointed dining facility provides a sense of community, and an anchor for the residences.

This LEED Platinum® building has been designed to achieve net-zero energy, utilizing sophisticated and cutting-edge sustainability solutions that were seamlessly integrated into the design. The building is fully powered by a series of hidden rooftop photovoltaic panels. By maximizing clever systems, such as siting of buildings, an open courtyard, material choices and thermal lag in the structure itself, the design team minimized solar heat gain, and coupled with the use of active chilled beams for interior climate control, the energy needs of the building have been significantly reduced. Water is problematic in arid Southern California, and so the building was designed to be net-zero water-ready. Piping and water reuse systems are built in for future needs, should water shortages become a significant issue.

The structure of the residential buildings consisted of a concrete shear wall building with a conventional reinforced concrete flat slab system supported by concrete columns. The concrete walls, columns, and slabs remained primarily exposed in the building and were architecturally featured and highlighted as part of the aesthetic intent for the building. Concrete construction was selected to meet not only for the durability goals of the building but also to contribute to the sustainability goals of the project. Since the production of cement is responsible for approximately 5% of the carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, some of the concrete mixes for the concrete elements on this project used fly ash as a replacement for the cement content in concrete. Fly ash is recycled product primarily collected from the bi-product that is produced by coal-fired and steam generating plants, and is estimated that for each pound of fly ash used instead of cement, one pound of carbon dioxide emissions can be saved.

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The campus houses 120 people, but averages around 80 residents in five duplex cottages that sleep up to 24 minors. In addition to offices and conference rooms for the staff, there are nursing stations, medical observation units, and mental health facilities. These structures ring a courtyard with community areas including a pool, library, basketball courts, laundry rooms, a dining hall and general recreation areas. The heart of the campus lives in the commons which is used for dining and visitations as well as a culinary arts program. In this inviting environment, the stresses and external provocations that exacerbate bad behavior give way to a nurturing and supportive environment conducive to education and growth as well as developing tools to deal with traumatic events and behavioral issues.

The buildings on campus total approximately 68,000 square feet on 7.55 acres, replacing a center that was 50 years old. The initial phase of construction included a demolition of the old structures to make way for a more open and enriching atmosphere. The LEED Silver designed building delivers the feeling of a chalet that is expressed throughout the campus, making use of exposed mass timber structural elements, which were mixed with steel frames. The optimization of the structural elements allowed the design to reimagine the narrative of this correctional institution, creating an inviting environment maximizing transparency with liberal use of glass, and weaving natural materials into the interior spaces. The commons have a faceted blue glass wall system that allows sunlight to pour in with sweeping views into and out of the building while adding an element of design fun in this jewel-box. The entrance integrating the reception desk, waiting room and command post is nestled between two buildings, and although it affords a view of the entire campus, it functions as an anti-panopticon, with glass sides that allow people both inside and out of the facility the ability to keep an eye on the authority figures.

Additionally, the setting leant itself to open areas with calming views, and an opportunity to focus on native plants and creative landscape. Included in the civil considerations were planter boxes for the culinary arts program where food and herbs will be grown as a part of the complete education program.

The team worked together to maximize efficiencies and deliver an outstanding product while considering costs, as this was funded with tax payer dollars. DLR Group and Bernards worked hand in hand with KPFF civil and structural to look for ways to achieve design goals intelligently, which lead to a very collaborative environment. This team effort was successful in part because everyone knew the importance of the project and how many lives could be effected by a thoughtful, quality environment to nurture children and enable them to thrive.

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