INTRODUCTION TO ANDERSON BRULÉ ARCHITECTS
K-12 Education Design
Anderson Brulé Architects T: 408.298.1885 | E: info@aba-arch.com
Who We Are
THE FIRM
OUR SERVICES
We are architects, planners, and interior designers committed to creating beautiful and functional environments that support learning, wellness, culture, and the public good. Since our founding in 1984, we have partnered with diverse clients in the planning and design of projects such as schools, libraries, hospital and clinical spaces, housing for individuals with developmental disabilities, civic spaces, and other community-building typologies.
Strategic & Master Planning
With experience spanning academic buildings at all grade levels, we deliver meaningful architecture that balances human, social, economic, and environmental factors for both individuals and communities. Collaboration and inclusiveness distinguish the full spectrum of services we use to guide our K-12 and higher education clients throughout a project’s entire development process – from understanding needs, articulating an inspiring vision and crafting a clear program to designing holistic solutions that are both creative and technically accomplished.
We believe architecture is a process, not just a means to an end. ABA is committed to assisting clients in improving their own culture, environment, and operations by meeting their organizational needs in architectural planning and design.
ABA applies its strategic planning expertise across the full array of projects; from single buildings to complex multi-building campuses, and to system-wide projects, as well as service modeling, and operational planning. Architecture
Interior Design ABA approaches the design of interior space with a HumanCentered Design process. We learn the users’ needs and wants then help align a client’s goals. ABA connects the concept from planning and architecture through the interior environment. BIM/ 3D Visualization ABA encourages a collaborative team approach to BIM utilization benefiting from clash detection, and superior coordination. BIM allows for enhanced visualization which can lead to better and quicker decisions. Sustainability Designing sustainable communities has been the foundation of our firm’s culture. We integrate ecological and environmental solutions into every aspect of our work and innovate to have community impact.
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K12 School Experience
ABA Principal, Lee Salin, and select members of the ABA project team, have extensive experience with K-12 school districts. A select list of districts includes: / Notre Dame San Jose High School
/ Berryessa Union School District
/ Monte Vista Christian School
/ Morgan Hill Unified School District
/ Presentation High School
/ Orchard School District
/ Hillbrook School
/ Mountain View-Whisman School District
/ Milpitas Unified School District
/ Woodside Elementary School District
/ San José Unified School District
/ Sequoia Union High School District
/ Union School District
/ Belmont Redwood Shores School District
/ Campbell Union School District
/ Pajaro Valley Unified School District
/ Los Gatos Union School District
/ San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
/ Saratoga Union School District
/ Oak Grove School District
/ Los Gatos Saratoga High School District
/ Bassett Unified School District
/ Los Altos School District
/ Glendora Unified School District
/ Fremont Union High School District
/ Redwood City Elementary School District
/ Cupertino Unified School District
/ East Side Union High School District
/ Fremont Unified School District
/ Hollister School District
/ Campbell Union High School District
/ Salinas City Elementary School District
/ Santa Clara Unified School District
/ Santa Cruz City School District
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Our Project Team Lee Salin, FAIA, Principal
lee@aba-arch.com 408.535.2934
Lee has over 30 years of experience planning, designing, and building educational facilities, with a focus on creating learning environments that enrich students personally as well as academically. His skill at working with clients and project teams to “design the process” is instrumental in welcoming all stakeholders to participate, be heard, and contribute to the direction of the project. By successfully facilitating communications around the multitude of issues, challenges, and options a project entails, he supports the informed, evidence-driven decision making that results in high-quality projects that are not only meet client needs but create meaningful places. Mark Schoeman, AIA, DBIA, Design Principal
mark@aba-arch.com 408.535.2909
Mark Schoeman brings over 30 years of designing educational facilities. He sees the built environment as the “third teacher” and understands how space can affect student outcomes. His latest work has centered around student engagement and how we can design schools which promote interaction between students and faculty. He understands the challenges in today’s schools and is always looking for ways where we can leverage basic needs with forward, flexible space to meet multiple goals. He has been involved with projects from early childhood development centers to college science buildings, including all parts of the process; programming, planning, design, and construction. This includes work with modernizations, additions to existing campuses, and the planning and design for comprehensive schools. Katherine Rivard, Associate Principal
katherine@aba-arch.com 408.535.2921
Kate Rivards’ experience spans the design and delivery of civic architecture, interiors and programming. Kate brings a breadth of experience in programming, user outreach, facilitation, and process planning. Her insight and clarity create an inclusive, organized, and effective process to gather and synthesize data and input from research, users, and organizational leaders. Her creative problem solving with client and strong relationship building skills have consistently led to successful projects. Her attention to detail, skilled communication style, and experience in multiple facets of the process allow Kate to contribute at all levels of a project. Daniel Ho, Project Designer
Daniel@aba-arch.com 408.535.2977
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Throughout his 10-year career, Daniel has focused his role as designer on creating solutions that serve a diversity of users. Supporting teams throughout all project phases, he considers how users experience built environments not only in terms of their age, gender, race, culture, and physical ability, but also in terms of neurodiversity – a particular area of expertise that led to a speaking engagement at the 2022 SFASA-Stanford Adult Autism/DD Conference. His application of universal and sustainable design approaches is supported by his expertise using various software tools for design, building information modeling, and project visualizations (e.g. Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Enscape, Lumion) as well as digital (e.g 3D printing, CNC, laser cutting), metal (e.g. welding, plasma cutting), and wood fabrication skills. He is also skilled at coordinating with City agencies to efficiently obtain planning, conditional use, and building permit approvals.
ABA’S WORK
K-12 Education Experience
Library Renovation Santa Catalina School High School | Monterey, CA The renovation of a 1960s high school library creates a renewed space for learning and campus community while expressing the school’s emphasis on cultural empathy and global perspective in its pedagogy. ABA’s long-term relationship with the School, which previously completed a new Math & Science Building, continued with the renovation of its high school library. Originally built in the late 1960s and named after the first head of the school, Sister Mary Kieran, the outdated library required a significant upgrade to continue serving students as a contemporary learning environment. Prior to design, we performed a physical conditions assessment, developed a feasibility study, and guided outreach efforts to engage the campus community in articulating the project’s vision – key efforts underlying strategic planning and programming work. Given the importance of fundraising to realize the project, our efforts also helped the School generate donor enthusiasm. SERVICES
Architecture Interior Design Community Outreach Programming
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The project then moved forward as a design/build partnership between ABA and Avila Construction. To create the desired calm, cozy, and inviting spaces, we redesigned the library with new colors, finishes, and furniture while redressing accessibility concerns and updating infrastructure with more efficient and sustainable MEP, life/seismic safety, and technology systems. We also designed a variety of spaces and features to complement the book collections, including teamwork areas, interactive wall display and, reflecting a unique partnership with the School’s Health & Wellness Program, a kitchen for cooking classes, wellness coaching rooms and a yoga/meditation/multi-purpose space.
Santa Catalina Library Before
Hillbrook School Hillbrook School | San José, CA The adaptive re-use of two historic buildings in downtown San José is conceived to provide high school students with innovative, hands-on learning experiences while engaging and revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood. Continuing its mission to provide students with “a rigorous and immersive learning experience that combines challenging academics with social impact skills and knowledge,” Hillbrook School engaged ABA for the adaptive reuse of two historic San José buildings to form a new Upper School campus. Ultimately working in a design/build partnership with Swensen Development & Construction, ABA preceded design work with facility conditions assessments, programming/space planning, and a feasibility study for the transformative renovations of the 1933 Armory and 1894 Moir buildings. Moving into the design and construction phases, a key aspect of our work entailed obtaining Special Use Permits for each of the buildings.
SERVICES
Facility Conditions Assessment Feasibility Study Programming / Space Planning Architecture Interior Design Value Engineering Construction Administration
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Our collaborative efforts with the Board of Trustees, Head of School, and parents culminated in a vision for a learning experience as a “city in a classroom” while also contributing to the St. James Park neighborhood’s revitalization. As work proceeds to completion for the Fall semesters of 2024 (Armory) and 2025 (Moir), the program calls for innovative interiors serving the school’s unique hands-on curriculum. In addition to classrooms, spaces include a ceramics studio in Armory, a robotics lab in Moir, and digital fabrication labs as well as wood shops in both. Armory will also be home to the school’s gymnasium serving, for example, volleyball and basketball, while Moir will serve as a central campus hub with a 3-story, naturally lit atrium.
Math & Science Building Santa Catalina School | Monterey, CA A new building provides inspirational spaces for young women’s STEM education while serving as an active learning tool for responsible environmental stewardship. There are more than classrooms to spark students’ imagination and curiosity in the 3-story Math & Science Building. A marine lab with saltwater aquaria and a robotics lab combines with instructional spaces, science labs, faculty offices and, significantly, proximity to Monterey Bay to complement classroom studies with real-world experiences in biology, chemistry, and physics. The building’s ability to function as a living learning environment is further enhanced by the use of hallways and alcoves as collaborative spaces to facilitate “moments of learning,” with further educational opportunities provided by the blend of landscape integration, photovoltaics, rainwater collection, exposed mechanical systems, and real-time building performance data reporting that demonstrate environmentally conscious building design and construction. SERVICES
Planning / Programming Architecture Interior Design / FF&E Construction Admin
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Associated Sitework Lab Planning Stakeholder Facilitation
Work for the project began with a feasibility study to understand the limitations of the existing Math & Science Building constructed in the early 1970s. Engaging diverse stakeholders including faculty, students, staff, and the school’s Board, the study entailed assessing existing conditions, analyzing current and anticipated math and science program goals, test fitting, cost modeling, and creating the framework for the comprehensive and transformative renovation resulting in an innovative building to inspire young women to pursue careers in science.
Santa Catalina School Master Plan Santa Catalina School | Monterey, CA Through a space-use assessment coupled with a detailed technical building-condition assessment, ABA focused conversations on the desired future state of the academic plan and how that vision could utilize existing assets. The 36-acre Santa Catalina School campus is in the heart of the scenic Monterey Peninsula and includes a co-ed lower and middle school for grades K-8 and an all-girls upper school, grades 9-12. Having not made any significant capital improvements in over 20 years, ABA was engaged to develop a master plan for the upper school’s academic core, which includes numerous key buildings: Library, Study Hall, Classroom, Science/Math, and Administration. The project also developed a concept for a new addition “The Center,” a newly programed space for the campus. The master plan included existing conditions assessments, programming, scenario testing, cost modeling, and a final Master Plan concept. ABA’s early focus and deep engagement with the Santa Catalina School (SCS) established an academic plan, vision and goals, and key design drivers which set the stage for a successful master plan. The project started with a “day of dialogue” where ABA was on-site with the leadership, faculty, and students. This kicked off the project and allowed the ABA team to form a deep understanding of the school’s current state, ethos, and future vision. SERVICES
Community Engagement Facilities Conditions Assessment Space Utilization Study Programming
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The ABA team brought applicable academic and space planning trends forward to the SCS team to help facilitate discussions about the school’s future vision. Through this process, ABA lead discussions to identify key success criteria: / Creating vibrant and enduring places on campus that support the mission and future school curriculum / Establishing community connection to strengthen the foundation of the school / Developing facilities that contribute to a healthy and sustainable campus community / Protecting and preserving the timeless and historic nature of the campus / Realizing fiscal benefits by maximizing expenditures of resources Santa Catalina’s existing campus holds many significant assets, both in buildings and landscape. Much of the planning effort focused on how to best utilize these existing assets to support the school’s goals while carefully considering any new additions.
Scenario Development/Testing Cost Modeling Master Planning Regulatory Agency Planning
Manley Hall, Library and Master Plan Notre Dame High School | San José, CA Blending tradition with innovation, ABA led the development of a Vision Plan for Notre Dame High School. Through workshops with key staff and stakeholders, we articulated a strategic direction for the urban campus, focusing on preserving its heritage while celebrating its diversity and fostering its growth. Notre Dame’s 150 years of tradition blends together with 21st-century technology in the design for this new building including science and computer labs, a library, and classrooms. This 34,000 square-foot building creates a new heart of the campus for Notre Dame; a private Catholic girls high school that is an integral part of downtown San José. The two-story oval entry element is a unifying, light-filled feature of this building. The entry opens up to “Heritage Hall,” a main corridor with architectural detailing that reflects the history of the school. The second floor “Light of Knowledge,” hallway connects to classrooms and open study space. The “Light of Science” hallway off the third-floor leads to science labs.
SERVICES Visioning
Program Master Plannning Conceptual Design through Workshop Facilitation Construction Administration Feasibility Study Interior Design Needs Assessment Library Plan of Service
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Anderson Brulé Architects also lead the leadership at Notre Dame High School to create a Vision Plan for developing the existing urban campus. ABA worked with key staff and stakeholders by conducting several workshops to guide the team to develop key program elements, functional relationships, strategic vision, site assessment, and a conceptual plan for the campus.
Student Union / Multi-Purpose Building Presentation High School | San José, CA The master planning process for Presentation High School included the development of a new Vision and Strategic Operational Plan, Program, and Long-range Master Plan for the school’s site, buildings, and facilities. Presentation High School (PHS), a college preparatory Catholic school in San Jose, California, embarked on a long-range strategic facilities planning process. The school partnered with ABA to develop a comprehensive Master Plan. In 2017, The plan was approved by PHS and marked the first step towards the realization of the school’s vision for its future facilities Rezoning and Special Use Permit As part of the implementation of the Master Plan, PHS sought to align with the City of San Jose’s updated General Plan. This required a rezoning of PHS to a Public/Quasi Public Zone, which includes private schools. PHS submitted their application for rezoning to the City and awaited approval. The approval of the rezoning and the subsequent Special Use Permit (SUP) would officially recognize the 2017 Master Plan and enable the school to proceed with its planned construction projects. SERVICES
Discovery Programming Conceptual Site Plan Development Construction Phasing
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Analysis Cost Estimating Planning Application Package Phase 1 Conceptual Design
Phase 1: Student Union and Multipurpose Building The first phase of the Master Plan involved the conceptual design of a new Student Union and Multipurpose Building. This building was envisioned as a vibrant hub for campus life, designed to host large events and accommodate the diverse needs of student clubs. The new Student Union houses the school’s Full Service & Catering kitchen, Library, Tech Center, and Student Center. The Multipurpose Building, designed with flexibility in mind, can comfortably house large groups for meetings, student clubs, and physical education classes.
Don Price Performing Arts Chapel Monte Vista Christian School | Watsonville, CA With nearly 60% of the school’s students participating in artistic education, the new performing arts center is a campus jewel supporting excellence in both instruction and performance. Opened in 2020, the new 450-seat, $10 million facility is named after cherished campus headmaster Don Price and designed to host performing arts events, host chapel services, school gatherings, and community events. The Center includes two large classrooms and a fully equipped stage with state-of-theart sound and lighting.
ABA and Bogard Construction provided Monte Vista Christian School preliminary planning services to develop the new Center’s building program and concept design. The project, which corresponds to the school’s master plan, was conceived to enhance the campus core and enrich the school experience for students in grades 6 to 12. Services included developing the program, conceptual design, and providing a basis for cost modeling. The pre-planning work informed decision making for the Board of Directors, enabling the school’s leadership to fundraise and implement the project. The ABA/Bogard team then used the intrinsic efficiencies of design-build delivery to complete the design, obtain regulatory approval, and construct the Performing Arts Center.
SERVICES
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Programming Concept Design Schematic Design through Construction Administration
Cunha Intermediate School, Building C Renovation Cabrillo Unified School District | Half Moon Bay, CA The ABA team lead a thorough building analysis to gain a detailed understanding of current building conditions and coordinated testing and investigative demolition. Cabrillo Unified School District needed to investigate and mitigate water intrusion problems on a two-story classroom building at Cunha Intermediate School in Half Moon Bay. The building opened in 2010 and had to be evacuated in March 2016 due to severe mold throughout the building. CUSD and Blach Construction approached Anderson Brulé Architects to collaborate on a repair and reconstruction plan for the facility. In order to identify the specific needs of the reconstruction and to define the scope of the work to be completed, ABA worked closely with CUSD to plan an effective project approach. ABA developed a reconstruction plan which outlines a phased project process: / / / /
Phase 1 – Define Scope of Work Phase 2 – Develop Design and Construction Documents Phase 3 – Coordinate DSA Review and Approval Phase 4 – Administer Construction
The ABA team lead a thorough building analysis to gain a detailed understanding of current building conditions and coordinated testing and investigative demolition. At the end of Phase 1, the ABA team provided a recommended scope of work and project schedule for the remaining phases of work. ABA worked with the District’s construction manager, Blach Construction, to develop a project budget. SERVICES
Pre-design to CA DSA Coordination Time-sensitive schedule management
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Full Architecture & Interior Services Correction of existing, deficient construction
Saratoga High School Engineering Classroom Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District | Saratoga, CA A renovation transforms an existing classroom into a STEM laboratory and makerspace that encourages students to be curious, experimental, and collaborative as they learn about engineering, robotics, and related disciplines. For an existing engineering classroom in need of modernization, ABA began with a facilities condition assessment that identified essential physical improvements, including improved paths of travel per DSA’s accessibility requirements and the addition of a window to increase daylighting and strengthen visual connections with the campus. We then moved forward with a renovation that also offered the opportunity to transform the classroom’s instructional quality by providing students with a versatile makerspace to stimulate their curiosity in a STEM program encompassing: /
Principles of Engineering, a collaborative project-based introduction to various engineering fields and robotics.
/
Digital Electronics, an applied-logic course studying electronic circuits and devices.
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Engineering Design & Development, a capstone course where students research, design, test, and present solutions to a panel of engineers.
SERVICES
Conditions Assessment Programming / Space Planning Value Engineering
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Architecture Interior Design Construction Administration
With the removal of a mezzanine and stairwell to maximize available space, the classroom’s open concept provides zones programmed for specific, yet intersecting, activities: an instructional/ideation zone, small group collaboration zones enclosed within glass walls, and production area with computers, 3D printers, laser cutters, hand tools, and breakout areas. Other design elements, such as open sight lines for full visibility throughout the space and the use of natural materials, further reinforce the reimagined classroom as a true laboratory of ideas.
Boys and Girls Club of Santa Cruz County Joe & Linda Aliberti Clubhouse Pre-Design Services Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County | Santa Cruz, CA Pre-design services help the Boys & Girls Club envision an exciting transformation for the Joe & Linda Aliberti Clubhouse to better serve the community with expanded recreational and educational programs. The Boys & Girls Club is committed to providing a worldclass experience that enables “all young people … to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” With this community-focused mission in mind, ABA and Ifland Engineers partnered to help leadership from the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Cruz County define their specific needs and evaluate options to expand their Scotts Valley location’s capacity and services. Our team conducted an existing conditions analysis to evaluate how to integrate new and existing buildings into a refreshed vision for the site, addressing issues related to building placement, circulation, maximizing the club’s visibility and community connections, and safety.
SERVICES
Pre-Planning Site Analysis & Physical Survey Focus Group Interviews Planning
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We also worked closely with Club staff to develop conceptual space programs as the basis of design, encompassing an indoor gym, game room, learning center with library, teaching kitchen, art center, teen and pre-teen spaces, multi-purpose room and quiet spaces, offices, and staff support spaces as well as outdoor patio, garden, play spaces, and swimming pool. Looking ahead at the project’s implementation, we facilitated meetings with representatives from the City of Scotts Valley to review preliminary concepts and discuss planning requirements. Finally, in addition to concepts for efficient site layout and design with an emphasis on flexibility, we created renderings for use in fundraising efforts along with a cost model for the selected option.
Anderson Brulé Architects Strategic Planning l Master Planning l Architecture l Interiors 676 W. 9th Street Claremont, CA 91711 325 South First Street, 4th Floor, San José, CA 95113 T: 408.298.1885 | W: aba-arch.com