Junipero Serra High School Makes Back-to-School Splash with New Centers for Arts, Sciences and Aquatics

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new $21 million Centers for Arts, Sciences and Aquatics at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo is ready for students returning this fall. Ratcliff, the architecture, interiors and planning firm, designed the 24,000 square foot classroom building.

Members of the local community and media are invited to the grand opening on Saturday, August 20. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and building tours take place between 1 and 4 p.m. Contact the school in care of Antonia Ehlers, (650) 345-8207, to attend.

Located at the heart of the campus, the academic building establishes important new student circulation and synergistic patterns between the arts, sciences, and athletics at this historic Catholic high school for boys.

The aquatics facility features a brand new, 38 meter by 25 yard pool, allowing for both competitive high school water polo and swimming, along with spectator bleachers and a moveable bulkhead to subdivide the pool as needed. Ratcliff's consultant for the pool is Aquatic Design Group of Carlsbad, California.

The Center for Arts and Sciences building includes:

• Science: The creation of five new science lecture laboratories for biology, chemistry and physics; classrooms that integrate current advanced technology.
• Communications: New facilities for yearbook, newspaper and films; all creating expanded opportunities for engaging students in real world communication.
• Art: A 2-D art room dedicated to painting and drawing and a 3-D art room with a dedicated ceramics studio and an adjacent kiln room; increased display and an outdoor work space in the adjacent arts plaza.
• Music: State-of-the-art band rehearsal and choral space; recording facilities; a Green Room for the Theater Arts Program; a work room for instrument repair.
• Academic Resource Center: Expanded classroom space; a meeting room to accommodate family conferences; a separate small group tutoring/collaborative study classroom.

In accordance with the City of San Mateo's building code, the entire project has been built with sustainable design features equivalent to achieving LEED® Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Quotes:

"This is an incredible time for Serra High School," said Serra President Lars Lund. "This project will add tremendous capacity to our science, visual and performing arts, aquatic and academic resource programs. The grand opening of these facilities marks a wonderful celebration of Serra's proud history, dynamic present and exciting future."

"This single complex represents the synthesis of important curricular and athletic programs at Serra, with spaces that will support every one of its students," said Patricia Alarcon, Ratcliff's project architect. "The new state-of-the-art teaching facility brings together under one roof spaces specifically designed for music, art and sciences, and is indicative of the strength of each of these programs at the school."

Project team:

Architecture and interior design – Ratcliff

Contractor – Hathaway Dinwiddie

Pool design – Aquatic Design Group

Structural engineering – Tipping-Mar + Associates

Electrical engineering and lighting design – O'Mahony & Myer

Mechanical & Plumbing engineering – McCracken & Woodman, Inc.

Acoustical – Charles M. Salter & Associates

Civil - BKF

Landscape - MIG

About Ratcliff:

Headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., Ratcliff is dedicated to designing sustainable building solutions. The firm provides master planning, architecture, interior design and sustainability consulting services to academic, healthcare and civic clients throughout the Western United States. This fall, Ratcliff completes new facilities for the University of California Berkeley Law School and the new World Languages Building for College Preparatory School in Oakland. Ratcliff is a recipient of the prestigious Firm of the Year award from the American Institute of Architects, California Council. Visit www.ratcliffarch.com.

SOURCE Ratcliff