College Performing Arts Center to Feature 'Encore' Materials

Evergreen/San Jose Community College District's $23 million venue will include an energy-efficient design and an abundant use of materials with recycled content.

The San Francisco office of Boston-based Sasaki Associates Architects designed the performing arts center. The $23 million facility will seek a silver LEED rating from the United States Green Building Council (rendering courtesy of Sasaki Associates).

After some planning and funding delays, San Francisco-based Swinerton Builders is about to embark on its third consecutive project at Evergreen/San Jose Community College District in San Jose, a performing arts center project at Evergreen Valley Community College.

Swinerton Project Manager Marsh Mendez said the $23 million facility will seek a silver LEED rating from the United States Green Building Council-mainly through siting, solar orientation, building materials and energy and water efficiency.

"We'll concentrate on daylighting and views, low VOC content and energy efficiency," Mendez said. "But our main focus will be on the recycled content of the materials."

The San Francisco office of Boston-based Sasaki Associates Architects designed the center. The San Francisco office of Arup is the MEP engineer.

Evergreen Valley College, part of the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District, is located in the eastern foothills of San Jose.

The performing arts center will include an arts building, a music building and theater center. The three-building complex will house art; general classrooms and performance spaces; a 125-seat black box theater; 450-seat performance hall; and exhibition hall. The three buildings will each be two stories tall, with one-the theater, considered a tower for code purposes.

Swinerton is supplying construction management and general contracting services for the project, which should be completed by late 2006.