Belmont / Hollywood Primary Centers 2 and 3
Los Angeles
Rios Associates

Creative use of color and industrial materials characterize these prototype schools

© Rios Associates

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These two prototype schools, within a mile of each other, are located in a dense urban area of Los Angeles. The sites benefit from views toward downtown and a large, adjacent park, respectively. A continuous, undulating perimeter enclosure, part wall and part building, secures the campuses while allowing for protected, selective views inside and out.
The classroom prototype is based on the prescribed "relocatable" classroom unit of 24 by 48 feet.

Classroom modules are paired to allow for window exposure on three sides of each room. An inverted roof allows for clerestory windows to naturally light the interiors. The "soft" ceilings of the sloped roof, covered with white scrim and wood battens, provide acoustic absorption and added texture. A steel and corrugated metal entry canopy is integrated into the form of each building.

The site and building palette incorporate and celebrate common industrial materials. Galvanized metal decking forms the entry canopies for buildings and serves as the cover for the lunch shelter. Painted graphics and murals are a recurrent theme in this largely Latino area of the city. Way-finding, environmental graphics, and paint schemes model this precedent by adorning each building with a unique graphic (ladybugs, bicycles, chicks, airplanes, etc.) that can easily be identified by those using the schools. Corresponding colors are painted within the plaster joints of all the buildings to enliven the campus. The color scheme is echoed in the painted doors and entry panels of each building and in the interior cabinetry of the classrooms.

Formal name of Project:
Belmont / Hollywood Primary Centers #2 (3rd & Benton) and #3 (7th & Grandview)

Location:
Los Angeles

Gross square footage:
3rd & Benton: 12,000 SF Building/1 acre site
7th & Grandview: 15,840 SF/1.5 acre site

Total construction cost:
3rd & Benton: $3.1 million
7th & Grandview: $3.4 million

Owner:
Los Angeles Unified School District
355 South Grand Avenue 6th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 633-7375
Representative to Contact: Mr. Larry Blackford

Architect:
Rios Associates, Inc.
8008 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, California 90048
(323) 852-6717
Fax (323) 852-6719
www.rios.com