Santa Monica, CA

The design of the 113,000 square foot headquarters for Santa Monica's police, fire and emergency operations emerged out of constraints: it had to accommodate round-the-clock activities in both highly secure and public areas; its height, setback and footprint had to adhere to the Santa Monica Civic Center master plan; and it had to be environmentally sustainable, earning a Silver LEED rating. From this difficult starting point rose a contemporary civic building that energizes its surroundings.

The design knits together a complicated multi-layered site by deploying a single palette of materials across a variety of scales. On the back side of the building, facing the Santa Monica freeway, the façade is a 200 foot-long monolithic sweep, meant to be experienced at highway speeds. It tapers to a sharp point, and is visually punctuated by an exit staircase encased in a steel cage and extruded from the façade. In contrast, the front of the building is broken down into more human-scaled components that encourage pedestrian interaction and respond to the site's shifts in topography. A series of two to three story orthogonal volumes recalls the proportions of residential buildings (making the facility more approachable), while the corner tower serves as a vertical demarcation of the entire civic center campus, like a modern interpretation of a campanile. Two public spaces-one marking the entry and the other offering a view towards the ocean-are linked by a waterfall, which also masks the noise from the adjoining boulevard. While the primary building material throughout is ribbed concrete-like freeway paving-the entrance pavilion is ceremoniously dressed up in sandstone. Both materials react to Santa Monica's abundant sunshine, with textures that change character as the light shifts over the course of the day.

The building's sustainable features accommodate stringent security requirements. Throughout the exterior, fixed sunshades block the harsh sun, while aesthetically animating the façade and signaling the building's commitment to energy efficiency. Small, secure balconies allow occupants to step out for fresh air. A three-story internal atrium and light shelves bring natural light deep into the building's large footprint. An under-floor air distribution system minimizes the amount of energy necessary to cool the building, while the moderate Santa Monica temperatures allow the use of large quantities of fresh, outside air, improving air quality. Throughout the building, materials were selected based on recycled content and renewable resources, with endangered woods and toxic materials eliminated.

The complex integrates law enforcement and public safety functions into a vibrant Civic Center. The building reinforces pedestrian paths, creates outdoor space for employees and the public, and defines the edges of the Civic Center-creating an upgraded image of the city's public facilities, and a showpiece of sustainability.