Orange Coast College Debuts $61.5M Academic Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/07/21

Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on a new, $61.5-million Language Arts and Social Science Building. The college partnered with C.W. Driver Companies on the facility, which measures in at three stories and 107,760 square feet. Amenities include classrooms and office space; conference rooms and support space; an ESL computer lab; pace for speech, theater and debate; and a journalism newsroom for the student newspaper.

The new facility replaces 60-year-old social sciences classrooms and the 50-year-old literature and languages building. Built with the goal of modernizing the campus and accommodating enrollment growth, the Language Arts and Social Science Building features indoor labs for psychology, economics, English, world languages and communication; indoor/outdoor labs for geography and anthropology; and storage space. The second floor features a skyway that connects the building to the adjacent Mathematics, Business and Computer Center Building.

Orange Coast College Language Arts and Social Science Building
Photo credit: PabloMasonPhotography

“With many of its original buildings dating back to the 1950s, Orange Coast College sought ground-up construction of a modern, tech-enabled facility that would bring faculty and students together from similar departments under one roof,” said Dave Amundson, project executive at C.W. Driver Companies. “The Language Arts and Social Science Building will serve nearly 25% of the campus enrollment, fostering a centralized community of learning while being adaptable to education needs for many years to come.”

According to a press release, the building was funded 50/50 by California State Proposition 51 and by Measure M, “a $698-million general obligation bond provided and supported by the local community to modernize education facilities for all universities within the Coast Community College District.”

The college also partnered with tBP Architecture for the new facility’s design.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • Texas A&M Breaks Ground on Campus Visitor Center

    Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new campus learning hub and visitor center, according to a news release. The 211,000-square-foot Aplin Center will stand three stories and is scheduled to open to students in 2028.

  • ClassVR headsets

    Avantis Education Revamps Hardware for ClassVR Solution

    Avantis Education recently announced the launch of two new headsets for its flagship educational VR/AR solution, ClassVR. According to a news release, the Xcelerate and Xplorer headsets expand the company’s offerings into higher education while continuing to meet the evolving needs of K–12 users.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.